Regulation library · 49 CFR HMR
HazMat compliance runs through one impossible table. We fixed the table.
The Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR Parts 171–180) govern how dangerous goods are classified, packaged, marked, placarded, documented, and moved. At their center sits the §172.101 Hazardous Materials Table — thousands of entries, ten columns of codes, nearly unreadable in print.
Key sections at a glance
§172.101
Hazardous Materials Table
§172.704
HazMat Employee Training
Part 173
Classification & Packaging
§172.504
Placarding — General
§172.200
Shipping Papers
Part 177
Carriage by Public Highway
What the HMR covers
PHMSA's Hazardous Materials Regulations apply to anyone who offers, accepts, or transports hazardous materials in commerce. Part 171 sets definitions and general provisions; Part 172 contains the Hazardous Materials Table plus shipping paper, marking, labeling, placarding, emergency response information, and training requirements; Part 173 governs classification and packaging; Parts 174–177 cover carriage by rail, aircraft, vessel, and highway; Parts 178–180 set packaging manufacturing and requalification standards.
Every hazmat decision starts at the §172.101 table: find the proper shipping name, and the table's columns dictate hazard class, identification number, packing group, labels, packaging authorizations, and quantity limits. Misread one column and the error cascades through the entire shipment — shipping papers, package markings, placards, and all.
Training is not optional
Under §172.704, every "hazmat employee" — anyone who directly affects hazardous materials transportation safety — must receive general awareness, function-specific, safety, and security awareness training within 90 days of assignment, with recurrent training every three years. DOT and FAA enforcement regularly cites training and documentation failures, and penalties accrue per violation, per day.
The HazMat 101 Tool
RegLogic's HazMat 101 Tool (Essentials plan) unifies the §172.101 table into a searchable, readable interface: look up a material and see its complete regulatory profile with the cross-referenced provisions one tap away, instead of ruler-and-squint navigation across a folded spread. The rest of the HMR gets the standard RegLogic treatment — color-coded outline formatting, plain-language search, and same-day updates.
Read HazMat — searchable, color-coded, always current — in RegLogic.
Start HereFAQ
Common questions
Who must comply with the HMR?
Anyone who offers, accepts, or transports hazardous materials in commerce — shippers, carriers, freight forwarders, and packaging manufacturers. Compliance obligations attach to functions, not job titles.
How often is hazmat training required?
Initial training within 90 days of assignment to a hazmat function, and recurrent training at least once every three years under §172.704. Records must be kept and made available on request.
What is the §172.101 table?
The master index of the HMR: an alphabetical table of proper shipping names whose columns assign hazard class, ID numbers, packing groups, label codes, packaging sections, and quantity limits for every regulated material. RegLogic's HazMat 101 Tool makes it searchable.
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