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Hazmat Placard Calculator

Enter each hazmat item on the truck with its class and gross weight. The calculator applies 49 CFR 172.504 and shows which placards the vehicle needs, and why.

Hazmat on the truck

Gross weight includes the packaging. Everything is assumed loaded at one facility.

Class or division

Gross weight (lb)

Bulk packaging

Class or division

Gross weight (lb)

Bulk packaging

Placards required

Table 2 total: 1,250 lb

FLAMMABLE

CORROSIVE

Option: one DANGEROUS placard

DANGEROUS can replace FLAMMABLE and CORROSIVE.

Why

Table 2 materials total 1,250 lb, 1,001 lb or more: each non-bulk category that takes a placard is placarded.

Limits.Highway shipments in the US under 49 CFR 172.504. It doesn't cover rail, air or vessel, limited quantities, subsidiary-hazard placards (49 CFR 172.505), the OXYGEN placard, or materials with special provisions in the Hazardous Materials Table. The shipper is responsible for placarding; check the regulation for your exact material.

How placarding works

Table 1: placard at any quantity

Explosives 1.1 to 1.3, poison gas 2.3, dangerous when wet 4.3, temperature-controlled Type B organic peroxide 5.2, poison inhalation hazard 6.1, and radioactive Yellow-III 7.

Table 2: placard at 1,001 lb or more

Every other class. Under 1,001 lb aggregate gross weight in non-bulk packages, no placards. Bulk packages are placarded at any quantity.

The DANGEROUS placard

Two or more Table 2 categories in non-bulk packages can share one DANGEROUS placard, unless 2,205 lb or more of one category is loaded at one facility. That category keeps its own placard.

Hazmat placard chart

The placards in the two placarding tables of 49 CFR 172.504. Illustrations for reference: placard size, color and design are set by 49 CFR 172.519 and 172.521 to 172.560, so use compliant placards on the truck.

Table 1: placarded at any quantity

EXPLOSIVES 1.1 placard, Division 1.1; 1.2 and 1.3 have their own — EXPLOSIVES 1.1Division 1.1; 1.2 and 1.3 have their own

POISON GAS placard, Division 2.3 — POISON GASDivision 2.3

DANGEROUS WHEN WET placard, Division 4.3 — DANGEROUS WHEN WETDivision 4.3

ORGANIC PEROXIDE placard, 5.2 Type B, temp. controlled — ORGANIC PEROXIDE5.2 Type B, temp. controlled

POISON INHALATION HAZARD placard, 6.1 inhalation hazard — POISON INHALATION HAZARD6.1 inhalation hazard

RADIOACTIVE placard, Class 7, Yellow-III label — RADIOACTIVEClass 7, Yellow-III label

Table 2: placarded at 1,001 lb or more

EXPLOSIVES 1.4 placard, Division 1.4; 1.5 and 1.6 have their own — EXPLOSIVES 1.4Division 1.4; 1.5 and 1.6 have their own

FLAMMABLE GAS placard, Division 2.1 — FLAMMABLE GASDivision 2.1

NON-FLAMMABLE GAS placard, Division 2.2 — NON-FLAMMABLE GASDivision 2.2

COMBUSTIBLE placard, Combustible liquid, bulk — COMBUSTIBLECombustible liquid, bulk

FLAMMABLE SOLID placard, Division 4.1 — FLAMMABLE SOLIDDivision 4.1

SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTIBLE placard, Division 4.2 — SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTIBLEDivision 4.2

OXIDIZER placard, Division 5.1 — OXIDIZERDivision 5.1

ORGANIC PEROXIDE placard, 5.2, other than Type B temp. controlled — ORGANIC PEROXIDE5.2, other than Type B temp. controlled

POISON placard, 6.1, not an inhalation hazard — POISON6.1, not an inhalation hazard

CLASS 9 placard, Class 9, optional in the US — CLASS 9Class 9, optional in the US

DANGEROUS placard, Mixed Table 2 loads — DANGEROUSMixed Table 2 loads

Placard FAQs

When does a truck need hazmat placards?

Table 1 materials (such as Division 4.3 or 2.3) need placards at any quantity. Table 2 materials need them once the vehicle carries 1,001 lb or more of Table 2 hazmat, aggregate gross weight, and bulk packages at any quantity. Class 9 and Division 6.2 take no placard on a domestic highway trip.

When can I use the DANGEROUS placard?

When non-bulk packages of two or more Table 2 categories need different placards. A category with 2,205 lb or more loaded at one facility still needs its own placard.

Does a Class 9 load need placards?

Not for domestic highway transport. A CLASS 9 placard is optional in the US, but a bulk package still shows its UN number.

Who provides the placards?

The shipper offers them to the carrier, unless the vehicle already displays the right ones (49 CFR 172.506).

Does the driver need a hazmat endorsement?

Yes, when the load requires placards, or carries any quantity of a select agent or toxin (49 CFR 383.5). Below that, the hazmat endorsement is not required.

Ready to ship hazmat freight?

Mark the item hazmat in the quote form and compare rates.

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