Trucker Forum - Trucking & Driving Forums - Class A Drivers - If you live in FL and have a Hazmat endorsement.....

Well, today I went and renewed my CDL-A with all of my endorsements. And $156.00 later here's how it went:

Not all counties in FL have Drivers License offices capable of renewing CDL's with Hazmat endorsements. Some counties have contract offices owned by the counties and contracted to the state to handle drivers licenses. My home county of "Charlotte County" is one of them.... but thats ok, because from my experience the yutzs that work in the office in Charlotte County are pretty much ....well....useless and not well liked by anyone.

Well, I had two choices: Go to Lee County - Fort Myers.....yuck. Or going up into the boonies to Wauchula in Hardee County.....ahhhh, much nicer, friendlier people....no crowds to deal with....just a couple of nice people working there... Very Happy Very Happy Cool

Anyway... I took my Hazmat renewal test... I passed it!! Cool Cool Not that I doubted I would, I am afterall: "Skywalker"!! But seriously folks, one of the reasons I am wandering loose here is sooner or later I'll make the following points:

1. If you live in FL and are going to renew your CDL-A with a Hazmat endorsement....DO NOT wait until the last minute to start the process!!

2. If you have a Florida issued CDL with Hazmat....you can begin the process of renewal as much as ONE YEAR early.

3. If you begin the renewal process more than THREE months prior to your CDL expiration date, you will be able to keep your Hazmat endorsement up to your original expiration date. And if there are no glitches in your background check.... you will receive your new CDL in the mail with your Hazmat endorsement on it.

4. They only accept Cash, Checks, or Money orders for payment.

5. The fingerprinting is done at the Drivers License office, as is all the paperwork for the erstwhile background check.

6. If you wait until you are inside the Three month's prior to your license expiring....you may forfeit your Hazmat endorsement until you get your letter.

7. Remember not all Drivers License offices can perform the Hazmat required goodies.... so you will need to check and see which ones do, and go to one of them. There is absolutely ZERO requirement or need for you to go to a DL Office where you live.... You can go to any one anywhere in the state of FL and do it. The one I went to was two counties away, and 53 miles to boot.

8. The Hazmat fingerprinting and background check cost me $91.00, and the rest was my license with my endorsements... $65.00. I am certainly happy my employer reimburses me for the hazmat stuff!! Laughing

9... Something I forgot: FL has a new CDL handbook for 2007, and it covers more hazmat information in "Chapter 9".....and you'd best read it all very, very carefully!! What I found when I took the test is this: Its not your "usual/standard formatted test"..... the questions look and read differently and if you didn't study the material in Chapter 9..... you may not pass the test. Mine had 30 questions, and you were allowed to miss 6, so that means you have to get 80% to pass. The computer tells you that you passed, but not a score. I was surprised at the difference in the test from years past.... So make sure you get the manual, and study Chapter 9 closely......
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