Maryland Hazardous Materials CDL Practice Test
Below are 25 exam-style questions for the Maryland Hazardous Materials CDL knowledge test, modeled on the FMCSA-aligned content used by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Try to answer each question on your own before reading the answer key directly under it. The questions and answer choices are shuffled deterministically per state and endorsement, so the order will stay the same on repeat visits — that lets you genuinely measure your improvement.
- A Color of packaging
- B Proper shipping name, hazard class, ID number, and required emergency information
- C Price only
- D Driver's name
- A Containers can rub against each other
- B They can shift freely
- C Cargo cannot shift, leak, or be exposed to ignition sources
- D Cargo blocks emergency exits
- A Notify the carrier immediately
- B All of the above
- C Notify the National Response Center if the load is leaking or hazmat-related
- D Provide the responding officers with the shipping papers and ERG
- A Must be operated by the receiver
- B Must meet special standards or be turned off
- C May only be used after 6 p.m.
- D Are unrestricted
- A Skip the placards
- B Use a generic placard
- C Refuse the load and notify the carrier — the shipper must use a proper shipping name
- D Use the closest entry
- A In an emergency
- B All of the above
- C Before leaving the loading site
- D During the trip if you stop
- A Carried in the trailer
- B Mailed to the receiver
- C Only required for explosives
- D Carried in the cab and used by responders to look up immediate response information for hazmat
- A Hazardous waste only
- B Cargo that may be harmful to aquatic life and requires special marking
- C Only liquids in port areas
- D Bulk shipments
- A In any rest area
- B In a designated truck stop
- C Within 300 feet of a tunnel, bridge, or building used by the public, except for short rest stops
- D On a public street within 5 feet of the road
- A Mailed to the destination
- B Within reach of the driver while seated and within reach when the driver is out of the cab
- C Filed in the cab's glove box
- D Stored in the trailer
- A Inspected once a year only
- B Loaded only by the receiver
- C Loaded only at night
- D Bonded and grounded during loading and unloading
- A Stop and notify the carrier and shipper before continuing
- B Continue and report later
- C Hide the error
- D Drive faster to compensate
- A Be left where it is, the area isolated, and the carrier and emergency services notified
- B Be driven to the destination
- C Be moved to a remote area immediately
- D Be unloaded by the driver alone
- A Only at the start of the trip
- B Only at the destination
- C When the brakes feel different
- D At each stop
- A X (combination of H and N for tank vehicles carrying hazardous materials)
- B A medical card upgrade
- C A pilot car
- D A separate trailer license
- A Pickups only
- B Vehicles whose driver and equipment meet all federal safety requirements
- C Any vehicle
- D Vehicles older than 5 years
- A Never; tires are the carrier's responsibility
- B Once a week
- C At the start of each trip and each time they stop
- D Only at the start and end
- A Reduce fuel use
- B Provide tax revenue
- C Communicate the risk, contain the materials, and protect the public
- D Help drivers move faster
- A Have current hazmat training
- B Have current TSA security threat assessment
- C Carry shipping papers and ERG
- D All of the above
- A Renew the TSA assessment periodically
- B Pass a TSA security threat assessment including fingerprinting
- C All of the above
- D Notify the carrier of any incident
- A No — mix them in with other paperwork
- B Only on long trips
- C Only if the receiver requests it
- D Yes — they should be readily identifiable for emergency responders
- A The driver must be at the fueling control
- B No smoking within 25 feet
- C All of the above
- D Engine must be off
- A Verify markings, labels, placards, papers, and securement before signing for it
- B Trust the shipper without checking
- C Wait for an inspector
- D Only sign and drive
- A Verify shipping papers, placards, and securement before leaving the loading site
- B Take a break first
- C Allow shipper to drive away
- D Drive to the destination immediately
- A Within 10 feet only
- B At 10, 100, and 200 feet from the vehicle
- C At 50 and 100 feet
- D Only at night
Study tips for the Maryland Hazardous Materials exam
The Hazardous Materials portion of the Maryland CDL exam is graded out of the bank of questions the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration draws from each year. While the exact bank is not published, every question is sourced from the Hazardous Materials chapter of the Maryland CDL handbook, which itself is derived from the FMCSA Model Commercial Driver's License Manual. That means studying our practice tests, reading the corresponding handbook chapter, and re-reading the parts you got wrong is genuinely the most efficient route to a first-time pass.
Most successful applicants follow a simple cycle: take the practice test cold, write down every question you missed, open the matching chapter of the official Maryland handbook, re-read the section that contains the right answer, then re-take the practice test 24 to 48 hours later. The 24-hour delay matters — sleep is when your brain commits new information to long-term memory, and CDL knowledge questions reward that kind of consolidated learning rather than cramming.
Pay particular attention to questions that include qualifier words like always, never, only, primary, or most. CDL test writers love to flip the right answer with a single qualifier. When two answer choices look almost identical, pay attention to the verb (is it must, should, or may?) and to any numbers (14 days, 100 air miles, 8 hours, 70/8 split). On endorsement tests in particular, watch for trick framing where a true statement about a different endorsement is offered as the "correct" answer to a question that is actually about Hazardous Materials.
Test-day logistics matter too. Bring photo ID, your Social Security card or birth certificate, your medical examiner's certificate (DOT card), and proof of state residency if you haven't already submitted those documents. The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration will not let you sit for the knowledge exam without your documentation, and most offices charge an additional fee for re-attempts. Arrive early — the wait at most CDL testing offices runs 30 to 60 minutes — and silence your phone before the exam begins.
Finally, keep your General Knowledge fundamentals sharp even when you're focused on the Hazardous Materials exam. Many states administer multiple knowledge tests in a single sitting, and questions on weight definitions (GVWR, GCWR, GAWR), stopping distance, and the pre-trip inspection routine show up across endorsements. If you're unsure on the basics, sit a fresh Maryland General Knowledge practice test before scheduling the real exam.
Next steps
Missed more than four questions? Re-read the Hazardous Materials study guide and the matching chapter in the official Maryland CDL handbook. Then come back and re-take the test. Once you can score 22 of 25 or higher on three runs in a row, you're in good shape to schedule the real exam at your local Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration office.
Already comfortable with this endorsement? Drill another: MD General Knowledge · MD Air Brakes · MD Combination Vehicles · MD Passenger · MD School Bus · MD Tank Vehicle · MD Doubles / Triples
New to the CDL process in Maryland? Read How to apply for a CDL in Maryland for the document checklist and step-by-step timeline.