So I just got my results back and I finally passed the ADR certification on my third attempt. I'm not ashamed to admit the first two times were rough — I kept underestimating how detailed the questions get around dangerous goods classification and the documentation requirements. The written part especially tripped me up because the wording on some questions is deliberately tricky.
What finally turned it around for me was putting in structured study time rather than just skimming the regulations. I spent about 3 weeks, maybe 1.5 hours a day, working through an ADR study guide that broke down the nine hazard classes with real examples. The biggest game-changer though was doing timed ADR practice tests — I did at least one full mock run every other day the week before. It forced me to get comfortable with the time pressure and I started noticing patterns in how questions were phrased.
For anyone else preparing, my main exam tips: don't skip the packing and labelling sections, and absolutely know your tunnel restriction codes cold. Those came up more than I expected. Happy to answer questions if anyone's in the same boat I was.