Moving to a new state with a HAZMAT endorsement: what transfers?
The TSA assessment moves with you
The TSA rule for states, 49 CFR 1572.13(e), says that for applicants who transfer an existing HME from one state to another, the second state will not require a new security threat assessment until the renewal period set by the previous state, not to exceed five years, expires. TSA's HAZMAT page says the same thing in plain words: if you have completed an assessment you may not need a new one, as long as the new state can issue an H that expires within five years of your last assessment.
Two practical limits. Your new H will carry the old expiration date, not a fresh five years. And TSA's page adds that states may require written competency tests for new, renewed or transferred endorsements. If your new state tells you something different about the TSA check, confirm it with TSA at 833-848-4759 before you pay for a second assessment.
The new state has to verify the TSA result
No state may transfer an H unless TSA has determined you are not a security risk or you hold a valid TWIC (49 CFR 383.141(b)). TSA reports its result to your state, and states record it in the CDL information system within 15 days, so the new state looks up your clearance rather than asking you for a letter. Bring the documents you used at TSA anyway, and if your old H was issued on a TWIC, bring the TWIC. The enrollment side is covered in how to do the TSA background check for HAZMAT.
The knowledge test: the two-year rule
FMCSA's transfer rule, 49 CFR 383.73(c)(4), says that to keep the H on a transfer, the new state must make sure you have, within the two years before the transfer, either passed the HAZMAT knowledge test or completed a third-party hazmat test or training that the state deems to substantially cover the same material. If you passed the test when you got the H less than two years ago, you are usually fine. If it has been longer, expect the new state to give you the HAZMAT knowledge test at the transfer visit. Some states test on every transfer regardless, so ask.
ELDT theory is not repeated
Entry-level driver training applies to a first HAZMAT endorsement, not to a transfer. 49 CFR 380.609(b) requires the training for someone seeking the H for the first time, and 380.603(b) says a driver who was issued the H before February 7, 2022 is not subject to ELDT for it at all. A driver who did ELDT for the H after that date has a record in the Training Provider Registry that any state can see, and FMCSA's FAQ says a state must accept training and tests completed in another state. So:
- H issued before February 7, 2022: no ELDT, ever, for that endorsement.
- H issued after that date: your theory is already filed and does not expire. Nothing to redo.
- Knowledge test on transfer: the state checks the registry only when the H is a first-time endorsement. A retest for a transfer is not a first-time H.
If a DMV clerk asks for an ELDT certificate on a transfer, point them to 380.603(b) or to your existing registry record. You can look it up yourself; see how to check your ELDT record.
What if the H lapsed before you moved
A transfer keeps an endorsement you currently hold. If your H expired, or you let it go when you moved, you are adding the H again rather than transferring it. That means a new TSA assessment if the old one is past its renewal period, and the knowledge test. Whether ELDT applies depends on history: if you held the H before February 7, 2022, 380.603(b) still covers you. If you got the H after that date, your theory is still in the registry. Only a driver who never held the H is getting it for the first time. States handle lapsed endorsements differently, so ask the new DMV what it needs.
Checklist for the transfer visit
- Your current CDL with the H, and proof of your new address.
- The documents you used at TSA, and your TWIC if your H is based on it.
- Your HAZMAT test date. If it is more than two years back, plan on retesting.
- Your ELDT record from tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/Check, if you did the theory after February 7, 2022.
- Your old H expiration date, because the new H will match it.
Our state pages list the local order for the H in each state we cover; pick your new state's page.
Questions drivers ask
Do I pay TSA again when I move?
Not if your assessment is still inside the renewal period from your old state, at most five years. The new state picks up your existing clearance and your H keeps the old expiration date.
Will the new state make me retake the HAZMAT test?
If your last HAZMAT test or accepted training was more than two years before the transfer, yes. Some states retest on every transfer. Ask the new DMV.
I got my H in 2019. Does the new state need ELDT?
No. An H issued before February 7, 2022 is not subject to ELDT, and that does not change when you move.
My H is on a TWIC. Does that transfer too?
Federal rules let a state issue or transfer the H on a valid TWIC, but only states that accept TWIC comparability do it. If your new state does not, you go through the regular HME assessment, which TSA treats as comparable to the TWIC one.
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