Government Shutdown

What now?

As talks of a shutdown began to intensify, it got me wondering, “what happens to the inspection agencies during the shutdown?” Some of you may already know the answer, while others may not. So, I figured, now would be a great time to try and answer some of those question. Questions like:

Are all hazmat related activities still conducted?

During a shut down, the government does not completely shut down, although it may sound like that, the DOT will continue to perform many essential safety-related duties during the shutdown. Some of these essential duties include but are not limited to:

• Facility security inspections
• On-call accident investigations
• Hazardous materials safety inspections

What hazmat related activities will be shut down?

Some of the significant agency activities will include things like:

• Certain audit and evaluations
• Dispute resolution
• Random drug testing of non-safety workforce
• Development of hazmat standards and rules
• Website updates
• Some online support functions as noted on the federal register which states:

“The National Archives and Records Administration is closed to normal operations due to a lack of appropriations. FederalRegister.gov will automatically provide the daily Federal Register and Public Inspection List but we will not provide technical support. The official, published Federal Register is available at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/fr.”

When will things go back to normal?

While no one has a definitive answer, history is our best indicator. The last time the government was shut down was in late 2018 and lasted 35 days, which was also the longest in history. Previously was 1996 with 21 days. Historically since 1976 until 2019 the average shut down time was about 8.6 days. We are currently at 2 days and counting.

Do I have to pay my penalties during a shutdown?

Do not take this as legal advice, but if you are unsure about paying your penalty it would be wise to contact the specific agency to confirm payment process during the shutdown. A shutdown does not excuse you from the penalty but may cause delays in the process.

Where can I find more information on the shutdown?

On September 30, 2025, the Department of Transportation (DOT) made available its shutdown plan that covers “Plans for Operations During a Lapse in Annual Appropriations By Operating Administration” which will discuss much more of these questions and more. To see the PDF document you can click HERE NOW!

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