January 31, 2005

On Oct. 26, 2001, the United States enacted the USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act).

Beginning Jan. 31, the act prohibits any state from issuing an original hazardous materials endorsement unless the driver has passed a federal Security Threat Assessment, which is a background record check.

Beginning May 31, the act prohibits any state from renewing a driver's hazardous materials endorsement or transferring a hazardous materials endorsement from another state, unless that driver has passed the background check.The federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) administers this program. The TSA strongly encourages you to begin applying for the background record check 45-60 days before your current driver's license expires.

If you allow your license to expire, you will lose your hazardous materials endorsement until TSA completes its assessment. You will also have to return to a Secretary of State office and pay a correction fee in addition to the endorsement renewal fee to add the hazardous materials endorsement back to your license.