What happens when shipping papers lack an emergency response phone number? Learn the OOS rate, CSA points, and what to do next.
Ranks #2,502 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency • OOS rate of 0.0% is below the FMCSR-wide average of 33.3%.
Shipping paper does not contain an emergency response telephone number.
Direct answers grounded in TruckCodex inspection data
No. Across our 13 million inspection records, 172.204(a) citations have resulted in a 0.0% out-of-service rate—none of the 4 all-time citations triggered an OOS placement. This is significantly lower than the 31.4% national average OOS rate across all FMCSR codes. Your truck can continue operating while you correct the shipping paper deficiency.
This violation carries a CSA severity weight of 5 points. The number of points that appear in your CSA record depends on when the citation was recorded and the 30-day rolling window calculation used by FMCSA. A severity weight of 5 is relatively minor compared to high-severity violations, which reflect the non-critical nature of a missing emergency contact number on shipping papers.
Immediate steps:
Since this is a documentation issue, not equipment failure, compliance is typically quick.
It is far less serious than other hazmat shipping violations. Our data shows similar codes like general loading/unloading violations (177.834A-HMC) have a 99.2% OOS rate and over 3,954 citations, while placarding violations (177.817(a)) reach 97.9% OOS. By contrast, 172.204(a) has a 0.0% OOS rate with only 4 all-time citations. This reflects that a missing phone number is a documentation gap, not a hazard during transport.
Yes. You can file a DataQs (Database Quality System) request to challenge the citation if you believe it was issued in error. Since 172.204(a) is a documentation finding on shipping papers, not an equipment or safety defect, contestation focuses on whether the emergency number was actually present and legible at the time of inspection. Gather a copy of the corrected shipping papers and any evidence of the number's presence. FMCSA will review your submission within a standard timeframe.
Rarely. Across our entire database of 13 million roadside inspections, 172.204(a) has been cited only 4 times all-time, with 0 citations in the last 12 months. It ranks #2480 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. This extremely low enforcement frequency suggests inspectors cite this violation only in clear-cut cases where the emergency number is entirely absent from shipping papers.
Our inspection records show this citation is so infrequent that it's scattered across small carriers: Reeves Construction Company (USDOT 367836), PI Jon Inc (USDOT 922559), Venezia Liquid Tank Lines Inc (USDOT 1079977), and Prest Xspress LLC (USDOT 2422487) each received 1 citation all-time. With only 4 citations nationally, no single state dominates. This underscores that 172.204(a) is not a systematic enforcement focus.
Fix it promptly, but it is not a crisis. Because the 0.0% OOS rate means no trucks are being pulled out of service and citations have dropped to zero in the past 12 months, enforcement pressure is minimal. However, shipping papers must be compliant for every hazmat load, so correct the emergency number on your papers before your next shipment to avoid re-citation and ensure regulatory compliance.
TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.
Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.