DOT Additional Information

Additional information may be required on the shipping paper, depending on what is being shipped and the mode of transportation. This information must be placed after the basic description, unless otherwise permitted. Some of the more common types of additional information that are not dependent on the mode of transportation are described below:

Technical Names: Entries in the Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) identified with the letter "G" in column 1 are required to have one or more technical names accompany the proper shipping name on the shipping papers and packaging markings. Technical names must be entered on the shipping paper, in parentheses, either immediately after the proper shipping name or following the basic description.

Special Permits (DOT-SP): Shipments made under DOT Special Permit must bear the notation "DOT-SP" followed by the special permit number. This entry must be placed on the shipping paper in a location where the entry can be associated with the appropriate description. DOT Special Permits detail procedures the person holding the Special Permit must follow in order to be exempt from one or more provisions of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).

Limited Quantity (Ltd Qty): The term "limited quantity" indicates the maximum amount of a hazardous material for which there is a specific labeling or packaging exception. The notation "Limited Quantity" or "Ltd Qty" must immediately follow the basic description of a hazardous material offered and transported as a limited quantity shipment.

Hazardous Substance (RQ): For a hazardous substance shipment, the letters "RQ" must be entered on the shipping paper before or after the basic description. If the material contains two or more hazardous substances, at least the two hazardous substances with the lowest "RQ" must be identified.

Radioactive Material: Radioactive material must include the name of each radionuclide, a description of the physical and chemical form of the material, the activity contained in each package, the category of label applied to each package, the transport index if the package is labeled Yellow-II or Yellow-III, and the criticality index with the words "Fissile Excepted" if the package contains fissile material.

Organic Peroxides and Self-Reactive Materials: These materials must include a statement of approval of the classification and conditions of transport when notification or competent authority approval is required. The word "SAMPLE" must be included for samples of Division 4.1 or 5.2 materials.

Marine Pollutants: Marine pollutants must be identified on shipping papers if they are shipped by vessel or if they are transported in bulk packagings by air, highway, or rail.

Poisonous Materials: When the basic description or hazard class of a poisonous or toxic liquid or solid material in Packing Group I or II does not include the word Poison or Toxic, the word Poison or Toxic must be entered in association with the basic description. For a material meeting the poisonous or toxic by inhalation criteria, the words Poisonous-Inhalation Hazard or Toxic-Inhalation Hazard and the appropriate hazard zone shall be entered on the shipping paper immediately following the shipping description.

Elevated Temperature Materials: If a liquid material in a package meets the definition for an elevated temperature material, and the fact that it is an elevated temperature material is not disclosed as a part of the proper shipping name, the word "HOT" must immediately precede the proper shipping name on the shipping paper.

Empty Packages: An empty packaging containing the residue of a hazardous material may include the words "RESIDUE: Last Contained" followed by the basic description of the hazardous material residue. This information is required for tank cars that contain only the residue of hazardous material.

To learn more about Multimodal Shipping visit our Multimodal DOT, IATA & IMDG HAZMAT Shipping Online Training web page.