What 180.405(b) means in plain language
FMCSR 180.405(b) establishes requirements for the physical design, construction, and condition of cargo tanks used to transport hazardous materials. These tanks must meet specific structural, material, and safety standards to safely contain hazardous cargo during transport.
When an officer cites you for this violation, they've identified a defect or non-compliance in your cargo tank itself—not how it's loaded, placarded, or operated, but the tank's specifications and build quality. This might involve issues with tank material integrity, welding, structural components, or failure to meet DOT specification requirements for that particular tank type.
The violation applies specifically to the tank equipment, not the broader hazmat transport process. Your responsibility is to ensure your cargo tank meets all DOT specifications before operating it on public roads.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million roadside inspection records, 180.405(b) has been cited only 3 times in all-time data. In the last 12 months and last 90 days, we recorded zero citations. This makes it the #2551 FMCSR code out of 3,036 codes by citation volume.
When this violation does occur, inspectors place the vehicle out of service 33.3% of the time. This is slightly higher than the all-FMCSR average out-of-service rate of 31.4%, indicating that when officers cite this code, they view the tank defect as moderately serious. Of the 3 all-time citations in our database, 1 resulted in an out-of-service placement and 2 did not.
The rarity of this citation reflects two realities: either drivers and carriers maintain cargo tanks to specification effectively, or inspectors rarely inspect cargo tank specifications in detail during roadside stops.
Who gets cited most
Our data shows that 180.405(b) citations are extremely sparse. The three all-time citations are distributed across three separate carriers: Alaska Fuel Distributors Inc (USDOT 2081087) with 1 citation, CTL Internacionales SA de CV (USDOT 2996268) with 1 citation, and Karen Yisell Paz Salinas (USDOT 3536809) with 1 citation. No state or carrier concentration emerges from this limited dataset.
The low volume means patterns by geography or fleet size are not meaningful. If you operate a hazmat cargo tank, assume you could be cited regardless of location or carrier size.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
In the hazmat category, cargo tank violations sit at the low end of enforcement intensity. Compare these peer codes:
- 177.834A-HMC (General loading/unloading hazmat) has 3,954 citations with a 99.2% out-of-service rate—far more common and severe.
- 177.817(a) (Placarding violation) has 2,274 citations with a 75.1% OOS rate—more frequently cited and more likely to result in out-of-service placement.
- 172.516(c)(6) (Placard damaged, deteriorated, or obscured) has 1,796 citations but only a 1.6% OOS rate—more common but treated much more leniently.
Your 180.405(b) citation sits between these: rarer than most hazmat violations, but when enforced, taken about as seriously as the average FMCSR violation.
How to avoid it
Since cargo tank specifications are the core of this code, your pre-trip and ongoing tank maintenance must be thorough:
- Inspect tank exterior monthly: Look for dents, cracks, corrosion, leaks, or separation of welds. A visual walk-around catches deterioration early before an inspector does.
- Verify DOT specification stencil and tag: Confirm your tank carries the correct DOT specification marking (e.g., DOT-106A, DOT-117, DOT-107) and that the tank is certified for the commodity you plan to carry.
- Check for cross-connections or bypass lines: Ensure all valves, piping, and overflow connections are intact and match the tank's original specification. Unauthorized modifications void tank certification.
- Review tank maintenance records: Keep documentation of any repairs or modifications. Unapproved repairs can cause specification non-compliance.
- Know your tank's age and re-qualification timeline: Cargo tanks require periodic re-qualification and inspection. Don't operate a tank past its certification date.
- Report tank defects to your carrier immediately: If you notice cracks, leaks, or structural damage, take the tank out of service. Operating a defective tank exposes you and your carrier to both citations and liability.
- Schedule a formal tank inspection annually: Even if you don't detect problems, a professional inspection by a certified tank inspector ensures all components meet spec and helps you prove due diligence if you are ever inspected.