Hazardous Materials Transportation Act

Signed January 3, 1975 and now codified at 49 U.S.C. 5101 and following sections, the Act authorizes DOT, through PHMSA, to designate hazardous materials and set rules on packaging, labeling, documents, handling and training for anyone who offers or transports them. It preempts conflicting state and local rules. Civil penalties are up to $102,348 per violation, or $238,809 if a violation causes death, serious injury or substantial property destruction, with a $617 minimum for training violations, and knowing violations can bring criminal penalties.

The HMTA is the legal basis for penalties against shippers that send hazmat in parcels without proper packaging, training or marks, and the fines are steep. Any fulfillment operator packing products such as aerosols, lithium batteries, nail polish or cleaning chemicals is a hazmat offeror under the law. For example, an e-commerce seller shipping undeclared lithium batteries through a 3PL can face PHMSA civil penalties per violation, and the 3PL that packed and offered them may also be cited. Training packers at least every three years is the core compliance step.

• Hazmat StorageStoring hazardous goods to code
• Hazardous Materials ShippinghazmatRegulated shipping of dangerous goods
• Lithium Battery ShippingShipping batteries under dangerous goods rules

• Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR)1908, rewritten 1990 · US DOT rules for shipping hazardous materials
• IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR)1956, 67th edition 2026 · Airline manual for shipping dangerous goods by air
• UN Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods1956, 24th revised edition 2025 · UN template for dangerous goods rules in all modes

1. 49 U.S.C. Chapter 51, Transportation of hazardous material, Cornell LII law.cornell.edu
2. Revisions to Civil Penalty Amounts, 2025, PHMSA phmsa.dot.gov