What is a HIN (Hazard Identification Number) and why is it important in transport?
Do you transport dangerous goods by road? Then you will guaranteed encounter it: the HIN (Hazard Identification Number). This number might seem technical, but it is of vital importance — literally. In this blog, we explain what a HIN is, why it is important, and how to apply it correctly in practice. We keep it EASY.
What is a HIN (Hazard Identification Number)?
HIN stands for Hazard Identification Number. It is a two or three-digit code found on the Kemler plate on the side or rear of a truck carrying dangerous goods.
The HIN indicates at a glance the primary risk of the cargo, such as flammability, toxicity, or explosion hazard. This information is primarily intended for emergency services, enabling them to act quickly and correctly in the event of an incident. Please note: the HIN is not the same as a UN number. The UN number refers to the specific substance being transported, while the HIN indicates the hazard of that substance.
Why is the HIN so important?
Accidents can happen easily, especially when transporting dangerous goods such as gases, liquids, or flammable substances. If something goes wrong, the fire department or other emergency services must be able to immediately assess what they are dealing with. Using the wrong extinguishing agent for a chemical fire can have disastrous consequences.
Therefore, the HIN is mandatory according to ADR regulations (Accord européen relatif au transport international des marchandises Dangereuses par Route). It provides critical information regarding the reactivity, toxicity, or flash point of a substance. Without this number, you risk not only dangerous situations but also fines.
How do you read a HIN?
A HIN consists of two or three digits. Each digit has a specific meaning:
- 33 = Highly flammable liquid (double 3 = increased risk)
- 60 = Toxic substance (the zero indicates the absence of additional hazards)
- 88 = Strongly corrosive substance
Repetitions, such as in 33 or 88, indicate an intensified risk. If there is an X before the number (such as X88), it means the substance is dangerous in contact with water — so absolutely do not extinguish with H₂O!
A handy overview table can be found at the RIVM. But we keep it EASY; you can also find one below.
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HINs in practice
You will find the HIN on the orange ADR Kemler plate on trucks or containers transporting dangerous goods. This plate is mandatory and must be clearly visible.
List of Hazard Identification Numbers (HIN):
| Hazard Number | Meaning |
| 20 | Asphyxiant gas or gas with no subsidiary hazard |
| 22 | Refrigerated liquefied gas, asphyxiant |
| 223 | Refrigerated liquefied gas, flammable |
| 225 | Refrigerated liquefied gas, oxidizing (fire-intensifying) |
| 23 | Flammable gas |
| 238 | Gas, flammable, corrosive |
| 239 | Flammable gas, which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction |
| 25 | Oxidizing (fire-intensifying) gas |
| 26 | Toxic gas |
| 263 | Toxic gas, flammable |
| 265 | Toxic gas, oxidizing (fire-intensifying) |
| 268 | Toxic gas, corrosive |
| 28 | Corrosive gas |
| 30 | – Flammable liquid (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive) or – Flammable liquid or solid in the molten state with a flash point above 60°C, heated to a temperature equal to or above its flash point, or – Self-heating liquid |
| 323 | Flammable liquid which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases |
| X323 | Flammable liquid which reacts dangerously with water, emitting flammable gases (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 33 | Highly flammable liquid (flash point below 23°C) |
| 333 | Pyrophoric liquid |
| X333 | Pyrophoric liquid which reacts dangerously with water (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 336 | Highly flammable liquid, toxic |
| 338 | Highly flammable liquid, corrosive |
| X338 | Highly flammable liquid, corrosive, which reacts dangerously with water (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 339 | Highly flammable liquid which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction |
| 36 | Flammable liquid (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive), slightly toxic, or self-heating liquid, toxic |
| 362 | Flammable liquid, toxic, which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases |
| X362 | Flammable liquid, toxic, which reacts dangerously with water, emitting flammable gases (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 368 | Flammable liquid, toxic, corrosive |
| 38 | Flammable liquid (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive), slightly corrosive, or self-heating liquid, corrosive |
| 382 | Flammable liquid, corrosive, which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| X382 | Flammable liquid, corrosive, which reacts dangerously with water, emitting flammable gases |
| 39 | Flammable liquid which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction |
| 40 | Flammable solid, or self-reactive substance, or self-heating substance, or polymerizing substance |
| 423 | Solid which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases, or flammable solid which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases, or self-heating solid which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases |
| X423 | Solid which reacts dangerously with water, emitting flammable gases, or flammable solid which reacts dangerously with water, emitting flammable gases, or self-heating solid which reacts dangerously with water, emitting flammable gases (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 43 | Spontaneously flammable (pyrophoric) solid |
| X432 | Spontaneously flammable (pyrophoric) solid which reacts dangerously with water, emitting flammable gases (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 44 | Flammable solid, in the molten state at an elevated temperature |
| 446 | Flammable solid, toxic, in the molten state at an elevated temperature |
| 46 | Flammable or self-heating solid, toxic |
| 462 | Toxic solid which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases |
| X462 | Solid which reacts dangerously with water, emitting toxic gases (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 48 | Flammable or self-heating solid, corrosive |
| 482 | Corrosive solid which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases |
| X482 | Solid which reacts dangerously with water, emitting corrosive gases (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 50 | Oxidizing (fire-intensifying) substance |
| 539 | Flammable organic peroxide |
| 55 | Strongly oxidizing (fire-intensifying) substance |
| 556 | Strongly oxidizing (fire-intensifying) substance, toxic |
| 558 | Strongly oxidizing (fire-intensifying) substance, corrosive |
| 559 | Strongly oxidizing (fire-intensifying) substance, which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction |
| 56 | Oxidizing (fire-intensifying) substance, toxic |
| 568 | Oxidizing (fire-intensifying) substance, toxic, corrosive |
| 58 | Oxidizing (fire-intensifying) substance, corrosive |
| 59 | Oxidizing (fire-intensifying) substance, which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction |
| 60 | Toxic or slightly toxic substance |
| 606 | Infectious substance |
| 623 | Toxic liquid which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases |
| 63 | Toxic substance, flammable (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive) |
| 638 | Toxic substance, flammable (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive), corrosive |
| 639 | Toxic substance, flammable (flash point not exceeding 60°C), which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction |
| 64 | Toxic solid, flammable or self-heating |
| 642 | Toxic solid which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases |
| 65 | Toxic substance, oxidizing (fire-intensifying) |
| 66 | Highly toxic substance |
| 663 | Highly toxic substance, flammable (flash point not exceeding 60°C) |
| 664 | Highly toxic solid, flammable or self-heating |
| 665 | Highly toxic substance, oxidizing (fire-intensifying) |
| 668 | Highly toxic substance, corrosive |
| X668 | Highly toxic substance, corrosive, which reacts dangerously with water (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 669 | Highly toxic substance, which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction |
| 68 | Toxic substance, corrosive |
| 69 | Toxic or slightly toxic substance, which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction |
| 70 | Radioactive material |
| 768 | Radioactive material, toxic, corrosive |
| 78 | Radioactive material, corrosive |
| 80 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance |
| X80 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, which reacts dangerously with water (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 823 | Corrosive liquid which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases |
| 83 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, flammable (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive) |
| X83 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, flammable (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive), which reacts dangerously with water (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 836 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, flammable (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive) and toxic |
| 839 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, flammable (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive), which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction |
| X839 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, flammable (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive), which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction and which reacts dangerously with water (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 84 | Corrosive solid, flammable or self-heating |
| 842 | Corrosive solid which reacts with water, emitting flammable gases |
| 85 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, oxidizing (fire-intensifying) |
| 856 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, oxidizing (fire-intensifying) and toxic |
| 86 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, toxic |
| 88 | Strongly corrosive substance |
| X88 | Strongly corrosive substance which reacts dangerously with water (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 883 | Strongly corrosive substance, flammable (flash point between 23°C and 60°C, inclusive) |
| 884 | Strongly corrosive solid, flammable or self-heating |
| 885 | Strongly corrosive substance, oxidizing (fire-intensifying) |
| 886 | Strongly corrosive substance, toxic |
| X886 | Strongly corrosive substance, toxic, which reacts dangerously with water (water shall not be used except by approval of experts) |
| 89 | Corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, which can spontaneously lead to a violent reaction |
| 90 | Environmentally hazardous substance, or miscellaneous dangerous substances |
| 99 | Miscellaneous dangerous substances, transported at an elevated temperature |
The HIN is always combined with the UN number on the plate. Together, they provide a complete picture of the risks.
Common mistakes regarding the HIN
- Confusing HIN with UN number: they are both numbers, but they serve completely different functions.
- Incorrect plate on the vehicle: leads to confusion during inspections or incidents.
- Incomplete documentation: the HIN must always be correctly stated in the transport documents.
Easy summary: What is a HIN?
A HIN (Hazard Identification Number) indicates at a glance the hazard a substance poses during transport, such as flammability, toxicity, or corrosive properties. You can see this number on the orange Kemler plate, which is mandatory for the transport of dangerous goods. It is essential for emergency services to be able to act quickly and effectively in the event of an incident. Many people occasionally confuse the number with the UN number, but they each have their own specific function.
Do you transport dangerous goods by road? Then it is important that you use the correct HIN on your vehicle and in your documentation. This prevents unnecessary risks and hassle during transit.