1625-0096 Stat/Authority

49 CFR 171.15 (up to date as of 3/20/2025)
Immediate notice of certain hazardous materials incidents.

49 CFR 171.15 (Mar. 20, 2025)

This content is from the eCFR and is authoritative but unofficial.

Title 49 —Transportation
Subtitle B —Other Regulations Relating to Transportation
Chapter I —Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of
Transportation
Subchapter C —Hazardous Materials Regulations
Part 171 —General Information, Regulations, and Definitions
Subpart B —Incident Reporting, Notification, BOE Approvals and Authorization
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 5101-5128, 44701; Pub. L. 101-410 section 4; Pub. L. 104-134, section 31001; Pub. L. 114-74 section 701
(28 U.S.C. 2461 note); 49 CFR 1.81 and 1.97.

Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to part 171 appear at 70 FR 56090, Sept. 23, 2005.
§ 171.15 Immediate notice of certain hazardous materials incidents.
(a) General. As soon as practical but no later than 12 hours after the occurrence of any incident described in
paragraph (b) of this section, each person in physical possession of the hazardous material must provide
notice by telephone to the National Response Center (NRC) on 800-424-8802 (toll free) or 202-267-2675
(toll call). Each notice must include the following information:
(1) Name of reporter;
(2) Name and address of person represented by reporter;
(3) Phone number where reporter can be contacted;
(4) Date, time, and location of incident;
(5) The extent of injury, if any;
(6) Class or division, proper shipping name, and quantity of hazardous materials involved, if such
information is available; and
(7) Type of incident and nature of hazardous material involvement and whether a continuing danger to
life exists at the scene.
(b) Reportable incident. A telephone report is required whenever any of the following occurs during the course
of transportation in commerce (including loading, unloading, and temporary storage):
(1) As a direct result of a hazardous material—
(i)

A person is killed;

(ii) A person receives an injury requiring admittance to a hospital;
(iii) The general public is evacuated for one hour or more;
(iv) A major transportation artery or facility is closed or shut down for one hour or more; or
(v) The operational flight pattern or routine of an aircraft is altered;

49 CFR 171.15(b)(1)(v) (enhanced display)

page 1 of 2

49 CFR 171.15 (up to date as of 3/20/2025)
Immediate notice of certain hazardous materials incidents.

49 CFR 171.15(b)(2)

(2) Fire, breakage, spillage, or suspected radioactive contamination occurs involving a radioactive
material (see also § 176.48 of this subchapter);
(3) Fire, breakage, spillage, or suspected contamination occurs involving an infectious substance other
than a regulated medical waste;
(4) A release of a marine pollutant occurs in a quantity exceeding 450 L (119 gallons) for a liquid or 400
kg (882 pounds) for a solid;
(5) A situation exists of such a nature (e.g., a continuing danger to life exists at the scene of the
incident) that, in the judgment of the person in possession of the hazardous material, it should be
reported to the NRC even though it does not meet the criteria of paragraphs (b)(1), (2), (3) or (4) of
this section; or
(6) During transportation by aircraft, a fire, violent rupture, explosion or dangerous evolution of heat (i.e.,
an amount of heat sufficient to be dangerous to packaging or personal safety to include charring of
packaging, melting of packaging, scorching of packaging, or other evidence) occurs as a direct result
of a battery or battery-powered device.
(c) Written report. Each person making a report under this section must also make the report required by §
171.16 of this subpart.

Note to § 171.15: Under 40 CFR 302.6, EPA requires persons in charge of facilities (including
transport vehicles, vessels, and aircraft) to report any release of a hazardous substance in a
quantity equal to or greater than its reportable quantity, as soon as that person has knowledge of
the release, to DOT's National Response Center at (toll free) 800-424-8802 or (toll) 202-267-2675.
[68 FR 67759, Dec. 3, 2003, as amended at 72 FR 55684, Oct. 1, 2007; 74 FR 2233, Jan. 14, 2009; 74 FR 53186, Oct. 16, 2009; 76
FR 43525, July 20, 2011; 87 FR 79766, Dec. 27, 2022]

49 CFR 171.15(c) (enhanced display)

page 2 of 2