If you transport heating fuels or motor fuels (heating oil, propane, kerosene, diesel, gasoline) in quantities that require placarding, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) requires you to register and pay a fee each year in return for a certificate of authority to operate in both intrastate and interstate commerce. However, since multiyear registrations are allowed, not all certificates are up for renewal on July 1, 2020. Marketers should look at their registration certificate for the date of renewal or search registration status at PHMSA’s online website (provided in the full regulatory report link below) to determine registration renewal year.
All expiring registrations must be filed before the July 1, 2020 deadline in order to maintain operating authority to haul hazardous materials (petroleum products). Failure to do so could result in a substantial fine. HAZMAT registration certificates are routinely checked by enforcement authorities at roadside inspections. Any vehicle without a current HAZMAT registration will be pulled out of service and the company will lose operating authority until registration is brought up to date. Click here for the full regulatory report from PMAA.
The PHMSA hazmat registration website can be seen here.
If you prefer to mail in your registration form instead of doing it online, you can download it here.
In filling out the form, in Section 9 you are asked to mark all “categories and activities engaged in during the previous calendar year.” Typically if you run only straight delivery trucks that carry less than 3500 gallons, you’d check box F. If you also run tankers that carry more than 3500 gallons you’d also check box D. Then you’d check both the “shipper” and “carrier” boxes since you’re both the transporter (carrier) and you’re carrying your own product (shipper). The fee for small companies is $275 if you employ 100 or fewer employees.