NRC Updates Radioactive Waste Shipping Forms—Feedback Welcome!
Published Date: 4/3/2026
Notice
Summary
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is renewing its forms for tracking low-level radioactive waste shipments to keep things safe and organized. If you handle or ship this kind of waste, you’ll want to check out the updated forms and send any feedback by May 4, 2026. No big cost changes, just smoother paperwork to keep everything on track!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Who Must Use Forms 540/540A
If you generate, collect, or process low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) and ship it for ultimate disposal at a licensed LLRW land disposal facility, you are required to complete NRC Form 540 and, if needed, continuation Form 540A when transferring that waste. The forms must physically accompany the LLRW shipment and include information about the shipper, carrier, designated disposal facility, and shipment contents.
Estimated Annual Paperwork Burden
The NRC estimates 4,616 annual responses from 712 respondents for Forms 540/540A, requiring a total of 3,462 hours annually to comply (3,116 hours for reporting and 346 hours for recordkeeping). These totals are the government’s estimated paperwork burden tied to the collection.
Forms Satisfy DOT Hazard Rules
Completed NRC Form 540 contains information necessary to satisfy Department of Transportation regulations in 49 CFR part 172 for hazardous materials communications and emergency response information. That means the manifest must include DOT-required details as part of shipping LLRW.
Allowed Use of Equivalent Substitute Forms
Licensees need not use originals of NRC Forms 540/540A as long as any substitute forms are equivalent to the originals in content, clarity, size, and location of information, per 10 CFR part 20, appendix G. This gives licensees flexibility to use equivalent forms instead of the exact original form layout.
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