Emergency Response Telephone Number
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration · May 5, 1995 · Reference No. 95-0145
Interprets: 49 CFR § 172.604(b)
Reggie’s quick take
Someone asked whether a carrier must confirm that a hazmat shipper's emergency response phone number, as listed on a shipping paper, is registered with the monitoring company. PHMSA says no, not fully. Before accepting hazmat cargo, a motor carrier must make sure an emergency response phone number appears on the shipping paper, as required by § 172.604(a)(3). The carrier does not have to check that the number meets the other requirements of § 172.604. The shipper is responsible for making sure the number is working and meets § 172.604(b).
Written by AI (Claude) on Oct 22, 2026. Robots make mistakes and leave things out, so the letter below is what counts. Not legal advice.
This is in response to your letter asking if a carrier must verify that a hazardous materials shipper is registered with the emergency response telephone monitoring company's telephone number indicated on a shipping paper. I apologize for the delay in responding and regret any inconvenience it may have caused.
Your understanding is correct. Before accepting a hazardous materials cargo, a motor carrier must ensure that an emergency response telephone number appears on a shipping paper as required in 49 CFR 172.604(a)(3). However, a motor carrier is not required to verify that the emergency response telephone number meets the remaining requirements of § 172.604. The shipper is responsible for ensuring that the emergency response telephone number is operative and meets the requirements in § 172.604(b).
A letter of interpretation applies the regulations to the facts the requester described. It isn’t a regulation and isn’t legal advice. The agency’s copy.