The United States Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration (TSA) granted a temporary exemption regarding the expiration of TSA security threat assessments for hazardous material endorsement (HME) holders.
The duration of this exemption is March 1, 2020, to July 31, 2020 . The Texas Department of Public Safety will offer a 180-day exemption for all HME holders who expire during this period.
The HME holder must return to the driver's license office 60 days before the exemption expires to begin the renewal process .
For a real-world example , let's say your HME expires May 1, 2020, the 180-day exemption would good until October 31, 2020; however the HME holder must return to the driver license office to begin the renewal process (60 days prior) so no later than August 31, 2020 in this case scenario.
First-time hazardous materials application requires the applicant to pass a knowledge test, obtain fingerprints, and complete a security threat assessment through TSA. During the COVID-19 shutdown, DPS is unable to accept new applications for a hazardous materials endorsement at this time.
For FAQ's on Drivers License, please visit https://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/covid19FAQ.htm.