FMCSA removes hazmat endorsement requirement for CDL drivers hauling 1000 gallons or less of jet fuel

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a rule that will allow states to waive the hazardous materials (HM) endorsement requirement for commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) holders hauling jet fuel in support of agricultural operations.

In a Final Rule to be published in the Federal Register on January 9, 2026, FMCSA announced that states are allowed to waive the HM endorsement requirement for CDL drivers who transport no more than 1,000 gallons of aviation grade jet fuel in support of seasonal agricultural aircraft operations.

FMCSA said that the Final Rule is not expected to have a significant impact on safety because “for various reasons, drivers who transport jet fuel operate in low-risk safety conditions and rarely experience crashes.”

The rule change is expected to benefit both farmers and drivers, officials said.

“Many farm operations rely on aircraft to apply pesticides or fertilizers to their crops. Agricultural aviation companies often deliver aircraft fuel to staging areas some distance from their headquarters. These companies, particularly in remote, rural areas have difficulty finding CDL holders with HM endorsements to complete these deliveries,” FMCSA said. ” The final rule will result in cost savings for agricultural aircraft operators and the drivers these operators hire to mix, load, and transport jet fuel in quantities of 1,000 gallons or less in participating States.”

States are free to choose to not waive the HM endorsement requirement.

The Final Rule is considered a deregulatory action under the Trump Administration’s Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation Executive Order issued in January 2025, according to FMCSA.