Hazardous Materials Permit Records Renewal Proposed
Published Date: 5/6/2026
Notice
Summary
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration wants to renew a rule that helps keep hazardous materials shipments safe by requiring companies to track and record their shipments regularly. This affects companies with safety permits, who must keep communication records for at least six months. Comments on this plan are open until July 6, 2026, and there’s no new cost, just a continuation of current rules.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Six-month record retention and paperwork burden
Companies with HM Safety Permits must keep communication records, physically or electronically, for at least 6 months at the company's principal place of business or readily available to employees. FMCSA estimates 1,142 respondents, a 5-minute maintenance time per daily communication record, and a total annual burden of 799,400 hours.
Periodic tracking and communication rule
If your company holds a Hazardous Materials (HM) Safety Permit, you must have a communications plan to track shipments and make periodic contact at least two times per day. Communication records must show the time of the call and the shipment location, and may be kept by either the driver (for example, in the logbook) or the company.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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