D Endorsement (Dangerous Goods) course
Get your D endorsement (full or renewal)
You need a D endorsement on your driver licence to carry most dangerous goods by road in New Zealand. Without one, you can't carry them for hire or reward, or above the Schedule 1 quantity limits. The endorsement lasts five years.
The D endorsement course (Unit Standard 16718, sometimes called a dangerous goods licence) prepares you to get or renew it. You study the theory online in short videos with questions. Then you sit a final theory assessment at a TR Driver Training branch.
After the course, you'll be able to:
- identify the nine classes of dangerous goods and their labels
- know when the Land Transport Rule: Dangerous Goods 2005 applies
- fill in and check dangerous goods documents
- segregate a load using the segregation chart
- placard a vehicle correctly
- act safely in an emergency
You also get a study guide to keep for reference.
Check the session times below. When you've finished the online modules, book your final assessment. Assessments are in Auckland, Hamilton, Mt Maunganui, Hastings, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Christchurch and Dunedin, subject to branch and trainer availability.
$263 +GST per person ($302.45)
4 x $65.75
Practical Assessment Sessions
Check locations, dates and time. You'll book and confirm your session once you've finished the theory. It's included in the price
-
What is the D endorsement course?
The D endorsement course prepares you to get or renew a dangerous goods (D) endorsement on your New Zealand driver licence. It's a blended course. You study the theory online. Then you sit a final theory assessment with TR Driver Training. The course covers Unit Standard 16718 and the Land Transport Rule: Dangerous Goods 2005.
-
Who needs a D endorsement?
You need a D endorsement to drive a vehicle carrying dangerous goods on a New Zealand road for hire or reward. You also need one if the load is over the quantity limits in Schedule 1 of the Land Transport Rule: Dangerous Goods 2005. A road includes public places such as wharves and car parks.
The D endorsement course suits:
- truck and courier drivers who carry dangerous goods
- forklift and telehandler operators who carry dangerous goods on roads
- drivers renewing a D endorsement, or whose endorsement has expired
-
Which industries and jobs usually need a D endorsement?
Any job that carries dangerous goods by road for work usually needs a D endorsement. Common examples:
- chemical manufacturing (all classes of dangerous goods)
- mixed freight, general transport and couriers (all classes)
- logistics (all classes)
- fuel distribution (flammable liquids)
- medical couriers (biological hazards)
- waste management (toxic and biological hazards)
- agriculture (fertilisers and other chemicals)
- precision machinery transport (often contains radioactive isotopes)
- electricians (for example, lithium-ion batteries for solar installations)
-
What will I learn in the D endorsement course?
The D endorsement course teaches you how to carry dangerous goods by road under the Land Transport Rule: Dangerous Goods 2005. It covers all nine classes, from explosives and flammable liquids to toxic, radioactive and corrosive goods. Topics include:
- the nine classes, their labels, UN numbers and packing groups
- when the Rule applies, and the quantity limits for domestic, recreational and tools-of-trade loads
- dangerous goods in limited quantities, consumer commodities and excepted packages
- packaging, labelling and marking
- dangerous goods documentation
- segregation, using the segregation chart
- placarding and emergency information panels
- loading, securing, parking and railway crossings
- emergencies and who is responsible for what.
-
What's the difference between a D endorsement and dangerous goods handler training?
A D endorsement is for driving a vehicle that carries dangerous goods on the road. Dangerous goods handler training is for people who handle, store, pack or use hazardous substances at work. The D endorsement course assumes someone else has packed and loaded the goods. The handler course covers working with the substances themselves. If you drive and also handle the goods, you may need both. See the Dangerous Goods Handler course.
-
When don't you need a D endorsement in New Zealand?
You may not need a D endorsement for some small loads under the Land Transport Rule: Dangerous Goods 2005. The main exceptions are:
- dangerous goods for domestic or recreational use, within the Schedule 1 quantity limits
- tools of trade for agricultural or commercial use, within the Schedule 1 limits
- small packages and excepted quantities that meet the Rule's limits
The full list of exceptions is in clause 9.2 of the Rule. Even when you don't need the endorsement, you must still pack, secure and segregate the goods safely.
-
Is unit standard 16718 compulsory for a D endorsement in New Zealand?
Yes. You must achieve Unit Standard 16718 to get a D endorsement in New Zealand. Its title is "Demonstrate and apply knowledge of law and practice for the transport of Dangerous Goods by road". It's worth 5 credits at level 3. Only NZTA-approved course providers can assess it for the endorsement. The D endorsement course prepares you for it, and TR Driver Training assesses you.
-
How long is a D endorsement valid in New Zealand?
A D endorsement is valid for five years in New Zealand. The expiry date is on the back of your driver licence. It can be different from your licence expiry date. NZTA sends a reminder about six weeks before it expires. If you did your D endorsement course with DT Training, you also get a reminder three months and one month before it's due.
-
Can I renew my D endorsement with this course?
Yes. The D endorsement course works for renewals as well as first-time endorsements. You can use it whether your endorsement is still current or has expired. Once you pass, you apply for the renewal at a driver licensing agent.
-
Can you really get a D endorsement online?
Partly. You do the D endorsement theory online, but the final assessment is in person with TR Driver Training. The online modules take a few minutes each, so you can fit them around work. You can repeat any module as often as you like. That means less time off the road than a full-day classroom course.
When you've finished the modules, you sit the final theory assessment at a TR Driver Training branch. For a group booking, it can be at your workplace. The trainer explains how to use the study guide but can't help you answer.
-
Can a company use the D endorsement course to train multiple drivers?
Yes. A company can use the D endorsement course for any number of drivers. Buy one course licence per driver and assign them. Each driver gets an email with instructions. You can add more managers at no extra cost. Managers can track progress and download reports. Setup and support are free.
-
What do you get with the D endorsement course?
The D endorsement course includes:
- online video modules with knowledge checks
- revision modules that unlock when you finish the main modules
- a study guide and segregation chart, sent to you by TR Driver Training, to keep for reference
- a certificate of achievement when you finish the online theory
- the final theory assessment with TR Driver Training
- an NZTA course certificate when you pass, so you can apply for the endorsement
-
What happens after you pass the D endorsement assessment?
After you pass the D endorsement assessment, TR Driver Training gives you an NZTA course certificate. Take it to a driver licensing agent, such as AA, VTNZ or VINZ, within 60 days and apply for the endorsement. If you miss the 60 days, you have to pay for and redo the course.
The course certificate isn't a licence. You can't carry dangerous goods until the D endorsement is on your driver licence. The certificate of achievement from the online theory only shows you finished the study. NZTA fees apply (details).
-
Why choose DT Training for D endorsement training?
DT Training is the sister company of TR Driver Training, a Category 1 Private Training Establishment with 20 driver trainers. TR Driver Training runs the D endorsement final assessment at 10 branches nationwide. Our trainers sit on boards and advisory groups that help shape unit standards and industry guidance.
-
How do I access and use the D endorsement course?
NZQA and NZTA requirements
- You will need (at minimum) a learner NZ Class 1 driver licence
- You must be able to read, understand and write English to a minimum level of ESL-5 or IELTS 5.5. No interpreters or reader-writers are permitted.
- Important: if your D endorsement has expired you cannot drive with DGs with just the certificate you get from this course (unless you are supervised by a passenger who has a D endorsement); you must send in the documentation and have the endorsement added to your driver licence
- The final theory assessment will be conducted in English at a TR Driver Training branch (or your office if you have arranged a group booking with them). There is no option for a translator as you must be able to understand documentation and segregation instructions in English.
How to do the course on DT
- You will need one course licence per person taking the course - you can't use one licence for multiple drivers
- You will need a computer, smartphone or tablet with internet access to take the theory training.
-
Can I take the D endorsement course in another language?
Partly. You can study the D endorsement theory with translations, but the final assessment must be done in English. No interpreters or reader-writers are allowed for the documentation and segregation sections. If you don't meet the English requirement, call 0800 637 000 to discuss your options.
- Video subtitles: available in 25 languages. Choose the language in the video.
- Questions: can be viewed in 76 languages. Check the language option at the top of the page (written answers must be in English).
- Question audio: every question has an audio recording in English.
- Documents: English.
Some captions are AI-generated and may have occasional errors.
