North Dakota Hazardous Materials CDL Practice Test
Below are 25 exam-style questions for the North Dakota Hazardous Materials CDL knowledge test, modeled on the FMCSA-aligned content used by the North Dakota Department of Transportation. 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 The state DMV
- B The carrier and the driver
- C The receiver
- D The shipper
- A Cause a leak or spill if the package is damaged
- B Strike emergency exits
- C Move and obstruct visibility
- D All of the above
- A All of the above
- B Park near a fire
- C Park within 5 feet of a road
- D Park near an open flame
- A X (combination of H and N for tank vehicles carrying hazardous materials)
- B A pilot car
- C A separate trailer license
- D A medical card upgrade
- A Only if the receiver requests it
- B No — mix them in with other paperwork
- C Yes — they should be readily identifiable for emergency responders
- D Only on long trips
- A Price only
- B Driver's name
- C Proper shipping name, hazard class, ID number, and required emergency information
- D Color of packaging
- A Carry shipping papers and ERG
- B All of the above
- C Have current hazmat training
- D Have current TSA security threat assessment
- A Within 10 feet only
- B Only at night
- C At 50 and 100 feet
- D At 10, 100, and 200 feet from the vehicle
- A Hide the error
- B Continue and report later
- C Stop and notify the carrier and shipper before continuing
- D Drive faster to compensate
- A UN or NA followed by four digits
- B A serial number
- C A state two-letter code
- D A barcode only
- A When the brakes feel different
- B Only at the destination
- C Only at the start of the trip
- D At each stop
- A One
- B Four (one on each side and one on each end)
- C Six
- D Two
- A In a designated truck stop
- B Within 300 feet of a tunnel, bridge, or building used by the public, except for short rest stops
- C In any rest area
- D On a public street within 5 feet of the road
- A Federal rules (tunnels, bridges)
- B All of the above
- C State and local routing
- D Carrier preference
- A Disconnect the bonding wire first
- B Hand off the unloading to the receiver
- C Stay within 25 feet of the vehicle and have a clear view of it
- D Leave the truck and return when finished
- A May only be used after 6 p.m.
- B Are unrestricted
- C Must meet special standards or be turned off
- D Must be operated by the receiver
- A Renew the TSA assessment periodically
- B Pass a TSA security threat assessment including fingerprinting
- C Notify the carrier of any incident
- D All of the above
- A A placard for the trailer interior
- B A placard for an additional hazard the material poses besides the primary hazard
- C A placard for a small load only
- D A placard for state-only highways
- A Two or more separate placards on a load that contains different hazard classes (Table 2 materials only)
- B Never
- C Any single placard
- D Only on Class 1 explosives
- A Cargo tank vehicles only
- B Class 1 explosives, to determine which can be loaded together
- C All hazmat materials
- D Drivers, not cargo
- A Properly placarded trailer
- B Vehicle in compliance with HMR
- C Truck designed for the specific class
- D Vehicle without working brake lights or in unsafe condition
- A Loaded only at night
- B Bonded and grounded during loading and unloading
- C Inspected once a year only
- D Loaded only by the receiver
- A Painted any color
- B Stored only at night
- C Made of glass only
- D Marked with the proper shipping name, ID number, and required labels
- A Vehicles older than 5 years
- B Pickups only
- C Vehicles whose driver and equipment meet all federal safety requirements
- D Any vehicle
- A A pallet
- B Any package over 1 lb
- C One that has more than 119 gallons capacity (liquids) or more than 882 lbs (solids)
- D Cardboard boxes only
Study tips for the North Dakota Hazardous Materials exam
The Hazardous Materials portion of the North Dakota CDL exam is graded out of the bank of questions the North Dakota Department of Transportation draws from each year. While the exact bank is not published, every question is sourced from the Hazardous Materials chapter of the North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota Department of Transportation 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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota Department of Transportation office.
Already comfortable with this endorsement? Drill another: ND General Knowledge · ND Air Brakes · ND Combination Vehicles · ND Passenger · ND School Bus · ND Tank Vehicle · ND Doubles / Triples
New to the CDL process in North Dakota? Read How to apply for a CDL in North Dakota for the document checklist and step-by-step timeline.