Course and certificate
Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) by Road — General Awareness
For anyone in Canada who loads, handles or drives dangerous goods by road, from warehouse and shipping staff to drivers and couriers. Eight short lessons in plain English explain the TDG Act and Regulations, the training rules, the nine classes, shipping documents, labels, placards and the 500 kg rule, small-quantity exemptions, ERAP and reporting, followed by a 25-question test. A general awareness course; your employer issues the Part 6 training certificate and decides whether this course is adequate for your duties.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Languages
- English, Español, Français, Português, Українська
- Lessons
- 8
- Time needed
- About 50 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 25 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- Recommended after 3 years
- Content updated
- October 28, 2026
- Certificate fee
- C$25.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- Warehouse, shipping and receiving staff who prepare or load dangerous goods
- Truck, van and courier drivers who carry fuel, paint, cleaning products or gas cylinders
- Dispatchers, supervisors and owner-operators who must understand the paperwork and marks
- Tradespeople and retail staff who move chemicals, batteries or cylinders between sites
- New hires and newcomers to Canada starting a job where dangerous goods are moved
02Syllabus
- 01What TDG is and who it applies to
- 02Training and the training certificate (Part 6)
- 03The nine classes and what the numbers mean
- 04The shipping document (Part 3)
- 05Labels, shipping names and UN numbers on containers
- 06Placards, the 500 kg rule and the DANGER placard
- 07Small-quantity exemptions and special cases
- 08Containers, ERAP and what to do in an emergency
03Assessment
25 multiple-choice questions drawn from the whole course. The pass mark is 80%. The test is free and can be retaken as often as needed; wrong answers point to the lesson to read again.
04The certificate
- With your name, your score and the date you passed.
- A unique number, recorded in our register.
- Your employer or an inspector scans it to see that it is genuine.
- Download it, print it or show it on your phone.
05Sources
The course follows the published guidance below. We are not affiliated with the bodies that publish it.
- Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992
- TDG Regulations, Part 2
- TDG Regulations, section 6.5
- TDG Regulations, section 6.1
- TDG Regulations, section 4.16.1
- TDG Regulations, section 2.8
06Questions
Is TDG training required?
Yes. Under Part 6 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations, a person who handles, offers for transport or transports dangerous goods must be adequately trained and hold a training certificate, or work under the direct supervision of someone who is. An employer must not direct or allow an employee to do this work otherwise. There is no national TDG licence; the law requires the training itself.
Is this the TDG training certificate that Part 6 requires?
No. Under Part 6, the employer issues the training certificate, and only when it has reasonable grounds to believe the employee is adequately trained for their duties and the goods they handle. Our PDF is a certificate of completion: it shows that you finished this general awareness course and passed its test. Your employer may rely on it as part of the training it gives, but it is not issued, approved or endorsed by Transport Canada, and it does not replace the employer's own certificate.
Will my employer accept this certificate?
It is a certificate of completion, not an accredited or regulated qualification. Your employer decides whether it meets their needs. They must still give you job-specific training on the products you handle, your equipment, your company's procedures and emergency steps, and they keep the training records.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the lessons and the test in about an hour. You can stop and come back at any time on the same device.
What if I fail the test?
Nothing is charged. You see which lessons to read again and can retake the test as often as you need.
When do I pay, and how much?
Only after you pass: C$25 for the certificate. The course and the test are free.
How does my employer check the certificate?
Every certificate has a number and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the number on our check page, shows your name, the course and the date you passed.
How often do I need to renew?
Under the TDG Regulations, a training certificate for road transport expires 36 months after it was issued, and your employer decides when to retrain you, for example when your duties or the goods change. Our certificate shows a renewal date 36 months after you pass.
The certificate confirms that you completed this course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification; your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.