D Endorsement course (2024)

Get your D endorsement (full or renewal)

You'll need a D endorsement on your driver licence if you are transporting dangerous goods by road and it must be renewed every five years. If you want to get your D endorsement (unit standard 16718, sometimes called 'dangerous goods licence') this course has easy-to-follow video content followed by questions to ensure you've understood the information. It covers everything you need to know to do the final assessment, plus you'll get a study guide which you can keep in your truck as emergency response documentation and future reference.

The course licence can be purchased by an individual or by a company for its drivers. Simply purchase the number of course licences you need.

Once you have completed the online modules 100%, book your in-person assessment. Assessments are scheduled at the following branches: Auckland, Hamilton, Mt Maunganui, Hastings, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Blenheim, Christchurch or Dunedin (subject to branch and trainer availability.)

What are the advantages of the D endorsement online course?

• Engaging video and interactive learning
• It's easy to schedule - the course takes around 2.5 hours + the final theory assessment. Short, easy-to-understand modules only take a few minutes each, so you can do one or more modules when you have time.
• This is an online course and there is no instructor-led training. You must turn up for the final assessment ready to take the assessment. The maximum time allotted for the final assessment is 4 hours. The instructor will explain what to do and how to use the study guide to find the answers, but cannot help you fill out the assessment materials. If you fail the assessment or don't complete it within the given time, you will be required to pay to resit it.
• The final assessment can be taken at one of our TR Driver Training branches at a mutually convenient time. You'll be given the hardcopy study guide when you arrive for the course; we will send you a PDF of the study materials while you're doing the online theory
• You get full access to the course for 6 months
• Additional optional revision modules will unlock once the course is completed.

What happens when you pass the course?

The certificate from the online theory only proves you have done the study but not the final assessment; you must come to a TR Driver Training branch to do the final assessment. TR Driver Training will give you a certificate which you take to a licensing agency (e.g. VTNZ, VINZ, etc) and apply for a D Endorsement (fees apply - details are here).

YOU MUST present this within 60 days otherwise you will have to pay for and re-sit the course again. Your certificate is not a licence; it must be endorsed to be valid.

Who is this course for?

• Drivers and operators that need to get a D endorsement so they can transport dangerous goods on a road (this includes public spaces, wharves, car parks and more)
• Drivers and operators who had a D endorsement which expired more than five years ago
• This full course can be used even if your previous D endorsement has not expired.

What do you get with the course?

Full access to all training materials for 6 months

Study in your own time at your own pace, take the modules as many times as you need to and really get to know the information. You can access it on any computer, smartphone or tablet wherever there's internet available.

Study guide and dangerous goods segregation chart

We will send you the study guide and segregation chart as a PDF when you order the course, then when you come for the final assessment we'll give you:

• a comprehensive, professionally produced printed study guide with extra information, useful charts and explanations, first aid procedures, emergency guides and more
• a handy segregation ruler and chart to help you quickly see which DGs can be transported together.

Management

If you're managing other drivers, you can add more managers at no extra cost. They can download detailed reports, plus track and manage drivers. Managers can generate certificates on completion of the course.

Testimonials

SuperShuttle driver, Ammon Sharma, says DT Driver Training and TR Driver Training's D Endorsement course was just what he needed.  "The course content was very good.  I could do it in my own time and pace and the site is very user-friendly."  

FAQs

Where is the course held? The theory is done online (anywhere you have internet access). The final theory assessment is done at one of TR Driver Training's 10 branches nationwide. You can book here.

Does the price include the final theory assessment? Yes.

I don't have a D endorsement yet. Can I really do the D endorsement online? Yes. You can study online and then come to TR Driver Training for the final assessment. If you prefer to attend an instructor-led session, the full course takes a whole day. You can book a full in-class course here.

I already have a D endorsement. Can I renew my D endorsement with this course? Yes

How long is the endorsement valid? A D endorsement must be renewed every 5 years.

What unit standards does this course cover? You'll get unit standard 16718 (Demonstrate and apply knowledge of law and practice for the transport of dangerous goods by road).

What paperwork do I need to fill out for the D endorsement? Once you have finished and passed the final theory assessment with TR Driver Training you can apply at a licensing agent to have the D endorsement applied to your licence. You'll need to fill out this form. They will charge separately for this (the cost is not included in the course fee)

Requirements

• You will need one course licence per person taking the course - you can't use one licence for multiple operators
• You will need a computer, smartphone or tablet with internet access to take the theory training
• You must take a final theory assessment supplied by MITO at a TR Driver Training branch (or your office if one of TR Driver Training's trainers goes there) at the end of this course
• 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 test will be conducted in English. There is no option for a translator as you must be able to understand documentation and segregation instructions in English.

You get access to the course for a full 6 months which means your driver can take a couple of months to finish the modules and can come back to it as a refresher anytime until the course access expires - this is great if you need to do any remedial work with them. 

Set up is free whether you are purchasing one course licence or a hundred course licences.