You might be a truck driver or a recent holder of a dangerous goods certification and are ready to be a dangerous goods driver but haven't acquired your license yet. The process is not as straight forward as it may look. Here a few things to check against to ensure your application goes through successfully.
What is a dangerous goods license?—a basic requirement for a license is if you a transporting dangerous goods in a container that exceeds a set limit that varies from state to state. A dangerous goods license is not required when the dangerous goods are in an intermediate bulk container and the container isn't packed or unpacked on the vehicle An intermediary container is a mechanically sound package intended for transporting dangerous goods as it has been tested and passed the Australian dangerous goods code.
Requirements—for you to qualify for a license, you must have checked against a list of things.
- You must be an Australian citizen
- Have a state driver license
- In possession of a dangerous driver license training certificate
- A licensing fee
Criminal history— if you have ever been convicted of a criminal offense or are charged with an offence currently, you might not be successful in your application. This applies to criminal charges in other jurisdictions and pending current charges. Traffic history—your traffic history is equally important when applying for a dangerous license as you are required to have a reasonably clean history. You may have an unsuccessful application is your driver's license has been suspended multiple times over demerit points or if your driver's license has been disqualified in the last 5 years. This is for new applicants. Medical history—while applying, ensure you have your medical certificate for motor vehicle complemented and verified by a medical practitioner under commercial standards. Booking an appointment and specifying that you need this type of visit is advised as it is slightly more involving than normal appointments. Interstate dangerous license —if you already have an interstate dangerous goods license, you are eligible to drive a dangerous goods vehicle anywhere in Australia. If you do not have one, apply for an interstate license. If, however, want to become a resident of a certain state and do not own an interstate license, you have to apply for a dangerous goods license for that state. Ensure that you apply for a state's dangerous license weeks before your other license expires.
