Checked 28 October 2026. What GOV.UK publishes was read on 28 October 2026 (sample papers and “How to answer” guidance, updated 2 June 2026). Our practice question uses ADR 2025; check the edition stated for your sitting before you rely on a reference.
GOV.UK publishes one sample paper each for Core, All Classes and Road, and four worked example questions with answers. It does not publish past papers or the marking scheme. What it does say is how to answer: when asked, give the regulation references you used and show the steps you took. The examiners’ own reports, below, say the same.
GOV.UK, Dangerous goods safety adviser exams, read 28 October 2026.
What is official
| Resource | What it shows | Answers? |
|---|---|---|
| Core sample exam paper (PDF) | 10 questions, 50 marks, 1 hour 15 minutes, the answer space and reference boxes | No |
| All classes sample exam paper (PDF) | 8 questions, 50 marks, 1 hour 45 minutes | No |
| Road sample exam paper (PDF) | Section A, one case study (35 marks); Section B, questions (15 marks) | No |
| How to answer DGSA exam questions | How to give references, and four example questions | Yes, with the references and “what you needed to do” |
| Exam syllabus | Topics for each paper, time, pass mark, the texts you may take in | Not applicable |
From GOV.UK, read 28 October 2026. All are free and published under the Open Government Licence.
The sample papers come without answers
GOV.UK’s Core, All Classes and Road sample papers come without answers. Practise on our own questions, written in the format of the official sample papers: write your answer, and it is marked point by point against our own rubric (not the official marking scheme), with the reference for every point you missed.
Try one marked question freeor see all 9 papers
One Core question, marked in full, no sign-up. Our own practice questions, not official DGSA papers; our Road papers have one case study, where the real exam offers a choice of three.
The DfT review of October 2025 records that DGSAs raised “longstanding complaints regarding the limited feedback” they receive on their exams, and that some asked for practice papers. It says the DVSA has since increased the feedback candidates receive.
What ADR says the exam must contain
The format is not only a UK choice. ADR 1.8.3.12 sets the frame for DGSA exams in the ADR countries: “a written test which may be supplemented by an oral examination”, invigilated, in which “the use in the written test of documentation other than international or national regulations is not permitted”. The written test has two parts:
| Part (ADR 1.8.3.12.4) | What ADR requires | Where you see it in the UK papers |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Questionnaire | At least 20 open questions covering the subjects in 1.8.3.11; multiple choice may be used, two counting as one open question | Core, All Classes and Road Section B |
| (b) Case study | A case study “in keeping with the duties of the adviser”, to show you can do the job | Road Section A (35 marks) |
From ADR 2025 1.8.3.12. For a renewal ADR 1.8.3.16.2 lets holders skip the case study, but GOV.UK says “You have to pass these exams every 5 years to stay qualified”, and its guidance describes no separate renewal paper. ADR lists the subjects to which “particular attention shall be paid”, among them classification, packing including tanks, marking, labelling and placarding, the transport document, handling and stowage, training, vehicle documents and instructions in writing.
The time you have per mark differs between the papers. The Core paper is the tightest:
Our arithmetic from the GOV.UK syllabus times and the 50 marks on each sample paper.
At 1.5 minutes a mark, a 6-mark Core question has 9 minutes for reading, finding the paragraphs and writing the answer with its references.
- 9 timed papers in the official written-answer layout
- Core, All Classes and Road, 50 marks each
- Your paper marked point by point in about a minute
- Missed points with the reference to read
- Model answers and references for every question
- Score against both published pass marks
How a written answer earns marks
GOV.UK’s guidance is short: “When asked, you need to: provide references to the regulations that you have used; show the steps you took to get your answer.” A reference must give the part, chapter, section and sub-section and, where applicable, the packing instruction number. Where the reference box includes “CDG2009” you need refer only to CDG2009.
| Habit | Why |
|---|---|
| Write the reference to the deepest level | The guidance asks for part, chapter, section and sub-section, e.g. 5.4.1.2.3.2 on the Road paper’s own example |
| Show each step, not just the result | The worked examples set out the method you needed to show: classify by each hazard, then apply precedence |
| Answer only what the box asks | A CDG2009 reference is needed only where the reference box asks for one |
| Use the permitted abbreviations | The sample papers say to use the abbreviations in the handout |
| Take the straightforward questions first | Core and All Classes questions, and Road Section B, may be answered in any order; the papers suggest the more straightforward first |
The first column is our advice; the reasons quote GOV.UK and the sample papers.
The four official worked examples
GOV.UK’s “How to answer” page has four questions with answers, which show the level of detail expected. Paraphrased:
| Example | Question | Official answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Core / All Classes) | A new liquid: dermal LD50 270 mg/kg, flash-point 15 °C, initial boiling point 85 °C. Class and packing group? | Class 3, packing group II (6.1 PG III against 3 PG II, by precedence). References 2.2.61.1.7, 2.2.3.1.3, 2.1.3.10 |
| 2 | UN number and proper shipping name for the same liquid | UN 1992 Flammable liquid, toxic, n.o.s. (classification code FT1). References 2.2.3.1.2, 2.2.3.3 |
| 3 | A 100 L drum of isobutyryl chloride, Milan to Paris: marking and labelling | Mark UN 2395; labels Class 3 and Class 8. References 3.2.2, 3.2.1, 5.2.1.1, 5.2.2.1.1 |
| 4 (Road) | A UK road tanker carrying UN 1230, Leeds to Liverpool: which emergency action code? | 2WE. Reference CDG2009 regulation 6(3), Schedule 1, Part 1, paragraph 1 and the DG EAC list |
From GOV.UK, How to answer dangerous goods safety adviser exam questions (updated 2 June 2026), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Try one: a Core-style question
Below is an original question written in the same style, with a model answer. Give yourself 8 minutes and your copy of ADR before you read the answer.
Core-style question · 6 marks
Your company has developed a new liquid solvent blend (it is not a pesticide). It has a flash-point (closed cup) of 30 °C, an initial boiling point of 150 °C and an LD50 (oral) of 150 mg/kg. It is not toxic by the dermal or inhalation routes, has no other hazards, is not listed by name in Table A, and no more specific collective entry applies. State its class and packing group, showing how you reached your answer, and give an appropriate UN number and proper shipping name.
Model answer
Flash-point 30 °C (23-60 °C) with initial boiling point 150 °C (above 35 °C): Class 3, PG III (2.2.3.1.3).
Oral LD50 150 mg/kg (above 50 and up to 300 mg/kg): Class 6.1, PG III (2.2.61.1.7).
Table of precedence: 3, III against 6.1, III gives 3, III; the footnote that gives 6.1 applies only to pesticides (2.1.3.10).
Answer: Class 3, PG III, subsidiary hazard 6.1.
UN 1992 FLAMMABLE LIQUID, TOXIC, N.O.S. (classification code FT1; 2.2.3.3; Table A, PG III).
An original question written to the GOV.UK syllabus from ADR 2025, not a DGSA exam or past question. It is the free question of the ProSyllabus DGSA practice papers, where you can write your own answer and have it marked.
How its marks split
| Mark | What earns it | Where it is in the rules |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flammability: flash-point 23-60 °C with initial boiling point above 35 °C gives Class 3, packing group III. | ADR 2.2.3.1.3 |
| 2 | Toxicity: oral LD50 150 mg/kg (above 50 and up to 300) gives Class 6.1, packing group III. | ADR 2.2.61.1.7 |
| 3 | Table of precedence: Class 3 PG III against Class 6.1 PG III gives 3, III (footnote a gives 6.1 only for pesticides, which this is not). | ADR 2.1.3.10 |
| 4 | Final answer: Class 3, packing group III, with a Class 6.1 subsidiary hazard. | ADR 2.1.3.10 |
| 5 | UN 1992 FLAMMABLE LIQUID, TOXIC, N.O.S. (classification code FT1), packing group III entry. | ADR 2.2.3.3, Table A |
| 6 | References for the steps (2.2.3.1.3, 2.2.61.1.7, 2.1.3.10, 2.2.3.3). | Reference box |
This split is ours: GOV.UK does not publish the official marking scheme. Note the trap: the table of precedence gives 6.1 over 3 at packing group III only for pesticides.
The same question can be answered and marked on the practice papers page. The DGSA practice papers are 9 timed papers (3 Core, 3 All Classes, 3 Road) where you write your answers and each one is marked point by point, with the ADR, CDG2009, emergency action code list or derogation reference for every point you missed. One Core question is free to try.
- 9 timed papers in the official written-answer layout
- Core, All Classes and Road, 50 marks each
- Your paper marked point by point in about a minute
- Missed points with the reference to read
- Model answers and references for every question
- Score against both published pass marks
What the examiners say loses marks
From March 2024 to March 2025 the SQA (now Qualifications Scotland) published a candidate performance report after each sitting. They are the closest thing to official feedback on how answers are marked. The same points come back report after report:
| Point | What the reports say | Report |
|---|---|---|
| References are expected | “Unless otherwise stated, references are required to support answers.” Where an answer needs two or more areas of text, “references were required for each area of text consulted but these were often not provided” | November 2024, All Classes |
| References must be complete | Part, chapter, section and sub-section, e.g. 5.4.1.2.3.2, “and where applicable, packing instruction number e.g. 4.1.4.1 P001, must be provided” | March 2024 |
| Show the steps | “Candidates should be aware that showing such steps is regularly part of the marking scheme” | September 2024, Core |
| Answer the question asked | “Candidates need to ensure they fully read the question and that their answer reflects the question being asked” | September 2024, Core |
| UK rules | “Candidates need to be precise when quoting references relating to the UK Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations – CDG2009 (as amended)” | September 2024, Core |
From the SQA candidate performance reports (archived copies of its retired DGSA exam site).
Using the sample papers well
| Step | What to do (our suggestion) |
|---|---|
| 1. Sit it timed | 1 hour 15 minutes for Core, 1 hour 45 for All Classes and Road, with only the printed texts you will take in |
| 2. Write references as you go | Fill every reference box; where a reference is asked for, leaving it out can lose marks |
| 3. Mark it against ADR, not memory | For each answer, find the paragraph that decides it and check your answer against its exact words |
| 4. Log what you lost | Note the syllabus topic, the paragraph, and whether you did not know it, could not find it, or ran out of time |
| 5. Re-read, then sit another paper | Read the paragraphs behind your losses before the next paper, not just the answer |
Because there are only three sample papers and no published answers to them, checking your own answers is the hard part. The pass lines are in our pass mark guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are there official DGSA past papers?
No. GOV.UK publishes one sample paper each for Core, All Classes and Road, without answers, and four worked example questions with answers on its “How to answer” page.
Is there a DGSA marking scheme?
The examiners use one, but GOV.UK does not publish it. GOV.UK says, when asked, to give the references you used, to part, chapter, section and sub-section, and to show the steps you took; the examiners’ reports say showing such steps is part of the marking scheme for some questions.
Do I need to give references in every answer?
Give them when asked. The reference boxes on the paper show where; a CDG2009 reference is needed only where the box says CDG2009.
Are the DGSA exams multiple choice?
No. They are written answers on a paper booklet, in black or blue ink. The Road paper includes a case study.
Is the question on this page a real DGSA question?
No. It is an original question written from ADR 2025 in the style of the Core paper. It is not a DGSA exam or past question.
Independent — not affiliated with Qualifications Scotland, the DVSA or the Department for Transport. ProSyllabus is an independent study site and nothing here is official. The exam facts on this page are quoted or summarised from GOV.UK, Qualifications Scotland, ADR 2025 or CDG2009, read on 28 October 2026; lines marked as our suggestion, and the lines about our practice papers, are ProSyllabus’s own.
Sources
- official — GOV.UK (DVSA): Dangerous goods safety adviser exams, with the Core, All classes and Road sample exam papers (PDF)
- official — GOV.UK (DVSA): How to answer dangerous goods safety adviser exam questions (updated 2 June 2026)
- official — Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA, now Qualifications Scotland): DGSA candidate performance reports, March 2024, June 2024, September 2024, November 2024 and March 2025 (archived copies of the retired sqa-mcaexams.org.uk site)
- official — GOV.UK (DVSA): Dangerous goods safety adviser exam syllabus (updated 2 June 2026)
- official — GOV.UK (DfT): Dangerous goods safety advisers review, call for evidence outcome (October 2025)
- official — UNECE: ADR 2025, Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ECE/TRANS/352, Vols I and II)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
