Definitions

The following are terms used in this Notice or conditions of operation. Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this Notice have the same meaning as defined in the HVNL.

Eligible vehicles

To be eligible to operate under the Notice, approved combinations must comply with the conditions of the Notice and all other requirements of the MDL.

An eligible vehicle is a combination consisting of:

• a prime mover and a semitrailer with a mass not greater than 48.8t; or
• a combination that is a B-double with a mass not greater than 73.8t shown in Table 1.
• a road train combination with a mass not greater than 143.3t shown in Table 1.

Conditions

Notices are subject to various conditions to ensure public safety, protect assets and prevent adverse impacts on the community, such as noise, emissions and traffic congestion. See the sections below for specific conditions related to this Notice. 

Dimension conditions - Click to expand

Length

Under the Notice, only a B-double combination vehicle is exempt from the dimension requirements under Schedule 6, section 3 of the MDL. The eligible B-double combination must not exceed 27.5m in length and must have an S dimension no longer than 20.6m in length (Figure 1). 

Transportation of livestock only

An eligible vehicle combination must be used for the transportation of livestock to be defined as an eligible vehicle under the Notice. The load must be entirely composed of livestock. No other type of load may be transported. 

General conditions - Click to expand

D rating of fifth wheel couplings and kingpins on B-doubles

The D rating for a fifth wheel coupling or kingpin in a B-double combination must not be less than 119kN as shown in Figure 2.

Vehicle configuration and axle requirements

The prime mover of an eligible vehicle must have a dual-drive tandem axle group.

• Any semitrailer that is part of a prime mover towing a semitrailer or a B-double must have a tri-axle group.
• All axles on an eligible vehicle other than the steer axle must have dual tyres.

Other conditions and additional information

Assessing routes

Before an eligible vehicle is driven along any route, its driver and operator must be satisfied that the route has been assessed and that the vehicle can be driven along it without: 

• disrupting telecommunication, electricity, rail, gas, water or sewage services; or
• damaging a road (including a bridge), structure, rail crossing or tree.

Third party approvals

Gazette notices, permits and some jurisdictional laws may require third parties and other entities to provide permission for a vehicle to travel if it exceeds certain mass or dimension limits.

Operators must secure all approvals from third parties such as electricity/utility companies, rail authorities and other third parties as part of their heavy vehicle operations.

For more information, visit the Third party approvals page.

Loading requirements

To meet the loading requirements, the heavy vehicle must be loaded:

• in a way that load placement does not make the heavy vehicle unsafe or unstable
• in a way that the load is not likely to fall or be dislodged from the vehicle
• using an appropriate system to restrain the load.

Visit the NHVR loading page for more information on load requirements.

Complying with the HVNL

Unless otherwise exempted by the Notice or this Operator's Guide, operators must ensure their vehicle or combination complies with the:

• Australian Design Rules (ADRs); and,
• Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL); and,
• Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL); and,
• Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation (VS Regulation).

Using or permitting another person to use a defective heavy vehicle or a heavy vehicle with unapproved modifications on a road may be an offence.

Failure to comply may result in the driver and/or operator being liable for an offence. Penalties can include infringement notices or prosecution.

Chain of Responsibility (CoR)

Under the HVNL, every party in the Chain of Responsibility (CoR) has a positive duty to ensure the safety of their activities in relation to a heavy vehicle. This duty, known as the “primary duty”, applies to the scheduling, loading and consigning of a vehicle, as well as to its operation on a road.

Safety is broader than the safety of drivers and other road users. It also includes protection of road infrastructure, preventing damage to other vehicles or property, and minimising environmental harm. Substantial penalties may be imposed upon parties who breach this obligation and upon their executives.

For more information on your CoR obligations visit Chain of Responsibility on the NHVR website.

Our Regulatory Advice offers guidance, tips and tools for managing a range of heavy vehicle safety risks.

The requirement to carry the Notice

Drivers do not need to carry a copy of the Notice. 

Network and mapping

For the purposes of s121 of the HVNL, an area or route specified in the 'Network & Mapping' section of this Operator's Guide is a stated area or route to which this Notice applies. In addition to complying with the conditions stated in this Operator's Guide, operators must ensure compliance with the specific road manager access requirements set out below or in network maps.

In this tab, you will find the approved routes authorised under the Notice. There may also be network conditions pursuant to the stated areas and routes under the Notice. Network conditions relate to road and travel conditions that are not contained within the Notice.

National Network Map

This Notice may refer to state or territory government websites for the publication of networks. Certain authorised heavy vehicle road network maps for the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria are published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, through the NHVR National Network Map. Additional information and guidance can be found on the National Network Map webpage.

Approved routes covered by the Notice

The following routes are approved for travel for vehicles eligible under this Notice.

Eligible vehicles can operate on the networks in Table 3, subject to Notice and network conditions. 

Note: Networks for road train combinations include state roads only. Access to council areas will require a permit application through NHVR Go.

Specified road manager network requirements

The following section outlines specific road manager route requirements under the Notice, including route conditions and restrictions.

Road manager route requirements in this section may change from time to time and should be reviewed regularly to ensure compliance.

For further information on how to comply with a requirement, please contact the relevant road manager.  

Note: Networks for road train combinations include state roads only. Access to council areas will require a permit application through NHVR Go.

Road managers may publish specific route conditions and restrictions on the approved network map. These must be complied with in addition to any route requirements outlined in this Operator's Guide. If a condition listed in any section of this Operator's Guide conflicts with a route condition or restriction published on an approved network map, the more restrictive requirement applies.

Non-participating road managers 

Under the Notice, the following road managers are non-participating road managers for semitrailer and B-double combinations.

Access to state roads on the approved nominated networks in non-participating council areas is allowed, subject to Notice and network conditions.

Operators can apply for access to local roads in non-participating council areas by submitting a permit application through NHVR Go.

Related notices

In this tab, you will find a list of national, state and territory notices related to the South Australia Class 3 Livestock Transportation Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1).

A related notice may be comparable with this Notice or provide alternatives for operators to find the appropriate notice under which to operate.

Related national notices

Related state and territory notices

Resources

All information about the Notice is contained in this Operator’s Guide. Please refer to the tabs for more information about this Notice, or contact us with your specific questions.

Note: If you have any feedback on the information provided, please contact us at info@nhvr.gov.au

Participating jurisdiction heavy vehicle resources

For more information about operating a heavy vehicle in participating jurisdictions, refer to the following sites:

• South Australia: Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) - Heavy vehicles

Changes and updates