Hazardous Materials Shipping Papers & Emergency Response Information

This information collection request requires persons who offer hazardous materials in transportation to prepare a shipping paper and provide an emergency response telephone number. Unless excepted, a shipping paper is required to accompany every hazardous materials shipment to communicate with carriers, enforcement officials, and first responders the hazardous materials in transportation. Each shipping paper contains specific information about the hazardous material(s) being transported, including identification number, proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group (if applicable), as well as number and type of packages. Additionally, a shipper must provide and clearly communicate a 24-hour emergency response telephone number that is capable of being answered without delay. In the event of an incident involving hazardous materials, emergency responders use the emergency response telephone number listed on the shipping paper to obtain more information about the hazardous properties of each material. Each shipping paper is developed in approximately 1 minute and 34 seconds and must be retained for 2 or 3 years depending on the type of hazardous material present. An official of the United States Department of Transportation, such as an enforcement officer, or another State-related enforcement agency may request copies of a shipping paper to verify compliance. This information collection is being revised based on PHMSA’s final rule published on May 11, 2020, titled “Hazardous Materials: Harmonization With International Standards” [HM-215O, 85 FR 27810]. This final rule harmonized the HMR with international regulations, including adding a requirement for the creation of a lithium battery test summary document for lithium cells and batteries manufactured after January 1, 2008.

The latest form for Hazardous Materials Shipping Papers & Emergency Response Information expires 2023-09-30 and can be found here.

Hazardous Materials Shipping Papers & Emergency Response Information

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Transportation - Ground Transportation