172.202(e) Hazmat Description Incomplete — Violations, Points & OOS

No. Across our 13 million+ inspection records, 172.202(e) citations have a 0.0% out-of-service rate—all 3 citations in our all-time database resulted in warnings or fines, not vehicle impounds.

This is significantly lower than the national average 31.4% OOS rate across all FMCSR codes. Incomplete hazmat shipping paper descriptions are typically corrected on-site or at the next facility stop; they do not trigger immediate roadside removal.

This violation carries a CSA severity weight of 5 points. The total CSA points you receive depend on how many times you are cited within a rolling 12-month window—typically one citation = 5 points, but FMCSA's Safety Management Guidelines include a 30-day multiplier for repeat violations within short periods.

Contact your carrier's safety manager or FMCSA directly for your exact point total, as the calculation can vary by your carrier's safety history.

Immediate steps:

1. Review the citation. Confirm what part of the shipping paper was missing: proper shipping name, hazard class, UN/NA ID number, or packing group.
2. Correct the documentation. Work with your dispatcher or hazmat coordinator to complete the shipping paper immediately.
3. Document the correction. Keep a copy of the corrected paper and the citation together.
4. Report to your carrier. Alert your safety manager so they can flag the citation in your record.
5. Request clarification. If you believe the citation is incorrect, note it—you may contest via FMCSA's DataQs system within 90 days.

No—172.202(e) is one of the least-cited and least-enforced hazmat violations. Our data shows only 3 all-time citations nationally, ranking it #2551 of 3,036 FMCSR codes.

In contrast, related hazmat violations show far higher enforcement: general loading/unloading hazmat (177.834A-HMC) has 3,954 citations with a 99.2% OOS rate, and placard violations (177.817(a)) have 2,274 citations with 75.1% OOS rate. Incomplete paperwork is treated as administrative—serious but not emergency-level compared to unsafe loading or placarding failures.

Yes. FMCSA's DataQs (Roadside Data Quality Review) system allows drivers and carriers to challenge citations within 90 days of inspection.

For 172.202(e), you have strong grounds to contest if:

• The shipping paper actually contained all required elements and the inspector overlooked it.
• The citation was issued in error or contains factual inaccuracies.
• You corrected the paper immediately and can document it.

Submit your DataQs request through your carrier's account or directly via the FMCSA website. Include photos or copies of the corrected shipping paper as evidence.

Our inspection database shows only 3 all-time citations for 172.202(e) distributed across three carriers: Forklift Systems Inc (USDOT 358074), Jeff Tyler (USDOT 975713), and Neway Carriers Inc (USDOT 3473090)—each with 1 citation.

The enforcement volume is so low that no dominant state or region is apparent. This violation is exceedingly rare in roadside enforcement, suggesting most hazmat shippers and carriers have compliant paper practices.

Low urgency operationally, but document it quickly. Our inspection records show zero citations in the last 90 days and zero in the last 12 months—172.202(e) is essentially not being enforced at present.

However, the violation is on your CSA record once cited. Fix it by ensuring all future hazmat shipping papers include proper shipping name, hazard class, ID number, and packing group before dispatch. Train your team to verify completeness before the truck leaves, not at roadside.

Both. FMCSA records hazmat violations under both driver and carrier safety profiles (BASIC categories: Hazardous Materials and Vehicle Maintenance).

The citation appears on your permanent CSA record and your carrier's record. If you drive for another carrier later, the violation travels with you. Your new employer will see it during their background review. Work with your current safety manager to ensure the violation is documented as corrected to mitigate future impact.