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OMB Control No: 2137-0557	ICR Reference No: 202605-2137-002
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202404-2137-003
Agency/Subagency: DOT/PHMSA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Approvals for Hazardous Materials
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 06/08/2026

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	06/30/2027
Responses	14,993	14,893
Time Burden (Hours)	41,630	41,530
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

Abstract: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has the primary responsibility for the issuance of Department of Transportation (DOT) Special Permits and Approvals under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR parts 171 180). An approval is a written authorization, including a competent authority approval, issued by the Associate Administrator, the Associate Administrator’s designee, or as otherwise prescribed in the HMR, to perform a function for which prior authorization by the Associate Administrator is required under subchapter C of this chapter (49 CFR parts 171-180). There are more than 100 approval provisions in the HMR and associated procedural regulations. Responses to this information collection are required to obtain benefits, including becoming an approval or certification agency, or obtaining a variance from packaging or handling requirements based on information provided by the respondent. These benefits and variances include, but are not limited to: United Nations (UN) third party certification; authorization to examine and test lighters; authorization to examine and test explosives; and authorization to re-qualify DOT cylinders. This information collection supports the Departmental Strategic Goal for Safety. Required collections are contained in Hazardous Materials Program Procedures, 49 CFR part 107 and parts 100-185. These regulations are promulgated in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 5110, the Federal hazardous materials transportation law. On February 10, 2026, PHMSA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled “Hazardous Materials: Harmonization With International Standards” [HM-215R, 91 FR 5996 ]. PHMSA is proposing a new requirement in § 173.169 to require a competent authority approval for the shipment of fire suppressant dispersing devices. These proposed requirements in § 173.169 address the classification, handling and transport of fire suppressant dispersing devices as a Class 9 material. Specifically, PHMSA proposes that these fire suppressant dispersing devices must be examined and successfully tested by a person or agency who is authorized by the Associate Administrator to perform examination and testing of explosives as explained in § 173.56(b)(1), followed by submittal to the Associate Administrator and issuance of an EX approval.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 49 USC 5101-5127 Name of Law: Hazardous Materials Regulations

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
2137-AF64	Proposed rulemaking	91 FR 5996	02/10/2026

Federal Register Notices & Comments
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	14,993	14,893	100
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	41,630	41,530	100
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This information collection request reflects a increase in responses, burden hours and salary cost. The increase stems from a NPRM titled “Hazardous Materials: Harmonization With International Standards” [91 FR 5996]. This NPRM proposes to add an approval requirement for fire suppression devices in 49 CFR 173.169. PHMSA expects estimates would increase the number of annual approval applicants. PHMSA estimates that this revision will increase the number of approvals by 100 annually.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $599,281

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Steven Andrews 202 366-6199 steven.andrews@dot.gov

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