What 180.207B-HMTS means in plain language
When you transport a UN-specification pressure receptacle—typically a tank or cylinder carrying compressed gas or other pressurized hazardous materials—that tank has to pass periodic requalification testing to remain legal for service. Once it passes that test, federal hazmat rules require specific marking to show it has been successfully requalified.
FMCSR 180.207B-HMTS cites drivers and carriers when a pressure receptacle that has passed requalification is not properly marked to reflect that status. The marking serves as proof to inspectors (and to you) that the container is current and safe for transport. Missing or incorrect marking creates a compliance gap, even if the physical tank itself passed the actual requalification test.
This is a technical documentation violation, not a safety-critical defect like a failed brake or a leaking container. But hazmat regulations are strict, and marking requirements exist so that every party in the supply chain—shipper, carrier, driver, receiver—can verify at a glance that equipment is in legal condition.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ inspection records, 180.207B-HMTS is extremely rare. We have recorded only 1 citation for this violation in our entire database, all-time. In the last 12 months and last 90 days, we have seen zero citations.
The single citation on record was not placed out of service, yielding an out-of-service rate of 0.0%. This compares significantly to the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%, indicating that when this violation does occur, inspectors typically treat it as a documentary or labeling issue rather than a safety-critical defect warranting removal from service.
Nationally, 180.207B-HMTS ranks #2796 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. This positioning underscores how uncommon enforcement of this particular regulation is in roadside practice.
Who gets cited most
Our data shows only one carrier with a recorded citation for 180.207B-HMTS: Breakthru Transports (USDOT 3109964) with 1 citation. The extreme rarity of this violation across our 13 million inspections means that regional or state breakdowns are not meaningful, and citing specific carrier patterns would be misleading. Single citations do not indicate systemic issues or negligence—they reflect the statistical reality that this marking requirement is either consistently met by the industry or rarely inspected for.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
180.207B-HMTS falls into the Hazardous Materials category and shares enforcement space with other HM documentation and placarding violations. Consider how it compares:
177.834A-HMC (General loading/unloading hazmat) and 177.834(a) (same topic) account for 3,954 and 3,839 citations respectively in our database, with OOS rates of 99.2% and 97.9%. These are high-severity violations resulting in immediate out-of-service action in nearly all cases.
172.516(c)(6) (Placard damaged, deteriorated, or obscured) is superficially similar to 180.207B-HMTS—both involve marking and visibility—yet has 1,796 citations with only a 1.6% OOS rate. This suggests that placard condition violations are treated as correctable documentation issues.
172.602(c)(1) (Maintenance and accessibility of Emergency Response information) has 1,464 citations with a 0.0% OOS rate, identical to 180.207B-HMTS. Like the requalification marking requirement, this is a documentary compliance issue that does not trigger immediate removal from service.
The pattern is clear: 180.207B-HMTS sits in the lower-enforcement, lower-severity tier of hazmat violations. It is not comparable to actual loading, unloading, or placarding violations, which carry vastly higher OOS rates.
How to avoid it
Prevention starts before you accept a hazmat load and continues through your pre-trip inspection.
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Verify requalification status during load acceptance. Before coupling or loading a pressure receptacle, confirm with the shipper that the tank has been requalified within the required interval (typically every 3, 5, or 10 years depending on the tank type). Request documentation or a current requalification certificate.
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Inspect for requalification markings. Look for the requalification mark on the pressure receptacle itself—usually a stamp, label, or permanent marking showing the test date and inspector identification. If you cannot locate or read this marking, do not accept the load. It is the shipper's responsibility to provide properly marked equipment, but you are responsible for verifying it before transport.
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Document what you see. Take a photo of the requalification marking if possible, or note its presence and date on your bill of lading or shipping papers. This protects you if an inspector questions it later.
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Know your hazmat load documentation. Familiarize yourself with the shipping papers and emergency response information for the materials you are hauling. This information should clearly indicate the container type and its certification status. If anything is unclear, ask the shipper before departure.
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Report missing or unclear markings immediately. If you discover during transport that a pressure receptacle marking is missing, illegible, or questionable, stop and contact your carrier and the shipper. Do not proceed with a load that cannot be verified as legally qualified.
The rarity of this citation in our data suggests that most drivers and shippers are meeting this requirement routinely. The best defense is a simple one: never accept unmarked or uncertified pressure equipment, and document what you verify.