Adding the Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) endorsement to your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is one of the smartest moves you can make as a driver in Tennessee. The list of opportunities and potentially -higher pay is quite lucrative, and the demand for drivers in Tennessee is high.
The Hazmat endorsement authorizes you to transport materials classified as hazardous by the U.S. government. These materials in the Volunteer State include petroleum products, agricultural chemicals, industrial chemicals, explosives, and construction-related chemicals. Major employers such as FedEx (Memphis headquarters), Eastman Chemical Company (Kingsport), Nissan North America (Smyrna), and Pilot Flying J (Knoxville) rely on HazMat-endorsed drivers.
Because of the risks involved, the process comes with a few hurdles designed to protect you, the public, and the environment. First, you’ll need to make sure all Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirements have been met. Next, you must submit your fingerprints and a background check with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). While you wait for what can sometimes be weeks for results, you’ll want to strategically use that time to prepare for the final step: the DMV HazMat Knowledge Test. The official test covers federal regulations, substance handling, material packaging, quantity limits, and transport configurations and requires a minimum score of 80% of on 30 questions (Tennessee CDL Handbook 2025).