DOT Hazmat Security Plan for Propane Companies
Your DOT hazmat security plan must be reviewed at least once a year and updated when your operation changes. Under 49 CFR 172.800, a company that hauls more than 792 gallons in one cargo tank needs a written plan. A typical bobtail clears that line. Propane Safety Pro writes yours.
Reviewed Oct 2026
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Do you need one?
Probably. DOT draws the line at more than 792 gallons of propane in one cargo tank. A bobtail clears it. So does a transport. If you only run small cylinders, call us. We'll walk through the DOT line with you, and if it looks like you don't need a plan, we'll say so.
What the plan covers
49 CFR 172.802 sets what goes in it:
- A written security risk check of your plant, trucks and routes
- Personnel security: who you hire and how you check them
- Keeping strangers off your trucks and out of your plant
- Security on the road: routes, stops and where trucks park at night
- One senior manager named as the person in charge of the plan
Your driver already walks the bobtail every morning: hoses, valves, placards, the emergency shutoff. The security plan covers what that walk doesn't: who holds the keys, who rides in the truck, and where it sits overnight.
Your drivers need security training too
49 CFR 172.704 calls for security awareness training for every hazmat employee. Drivers covered by your plan also need in-depth training on it, and every hazmat employee gets refresher training at least once every three years (49 CFR 172.704(c)(2)). We write the training pages and the sign-off sheets into your plan.
"We have a plan from years ago"
Send it. The yearly review is part of the rule. We'll tell you what is stale and whether it needs a rewrite or a refresh.
How it works
- You get one form: your plant, your trucks, your keys and gates, your hiring and your routes.
- You spend about an hour on it. No site visit, no meetings.
- We write the plan for your company. It's usually built within a week of your finished form.
- You get a print-ready plan plus the training pages, ready to show a DOT investigator or your insurance auditor. Want to see one first? See sample pages
Most companies get the security plan and the policies manual together, from the same form. Policies and Procedures Manual
Who writes it
Bill Stomp built Propane Safety Pro. He is a war veteran who personally ran over 87 propane branch offices across 12 states, and he has helped more than 200 propane companies improve their profits, sales, safety and operations.
Questions and answers
How often does a DOT hazmat security plan have to be reviewed?
At least once a year, under 49 CFR 172.802(c). Update it any time your trucks, routes, staff or plant change.
What size propane truck needs a security plan?
Under 49 CFR 172.800, a cargo tank that holds more than 792 gallons counts as a large bulk load. Most bobtails and transports are over that line.
What must the plan include?
Under 49 CFR 172.802, it needs a written security risk check. It needs steps for hiring checks, keeping strangers out and security on the road. And it names one senior manager in charge of the plan.
Do drivers need security training?
Yes. 49 CFR 172.704 calls for security awareness training for hazmat employees, plus in-depth training on the plan for employees it covers. Refresher training is due at least once every three years.
How much of my time does it take?
About an hour, on one form. It's usually built within a week of your finished form.
The plan says who checks the trucks and tanks. The Safety App keeps the proof: a dated photo record from every delivery, on a monthly plan. See the Safety App
Get your security plan quote
Tell us about your trucks. We reply the same business day.
General information, not legal advice.