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 all requirements of the MDL.

The Notice applies to a Special Purpose Vehicle combination consisting of a prime mover towing a special purpose trailer. The image in Figure 1 is an example image and is used for reference. More detailed descriptions of a SPV can be found below. 

Figure 1: Example image of an SPV Combination (Prime mover and single Special Purpose Trailer)

Conditions

Notices are subject to conditions to ensure public safety, asset protection and to prevent adverse effects to the community, such as noise, emissions or traffic congestion.

See the sections below for specific conditions related to this Notice. 

Mass requirements - Click to expand

Prime mover axle mass limits

The maximum mass on an axle group of a Prime mover is shown in Table 2. 

Table 2: Axle mass limit

Type of axle or axle group	Axles	Axle/vehicle requirements	Mass limit (t) GML
Steer axle		Default limit	6.0t
		Complying steer axle	6.5t
		Road train steer axle	6.5t
			7.1t
Single axle		Single tyres	6.0t
			6.7t
			7.0t
		Dual tyres	9.0t
Twinsteer axle group		Non-load-sharing suspension system	10.0t
		Load-sharing suspension system	11.0t
Tandem axle group		Single tyres on all axles	11.0t
			13.3t
			14.0t
		Single tyres on one axle and dual tyres on the other axle	13.0t
		Dual tyres on all axles	16.5t

Trailer axle mass limits relating to tyre width

Maximum mass limits per trailer axle are described in Table 3 below. This table shows the tyre width in the first two columns and how many tonnes can be carried by the number of tyres in columns three and four.

Table 3: Maximum masses for an axle

Tyre width of the narrowest tyre on the axle (mm)		Mass limit if the axle has 2 tyres (tonnes)	Mass limit if the axle has 4 tyres (tonnes)
at least	but less than
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4
190	228	4.5	9.0
228	254	5.0	9.5
254	279	6.0	10.0
279	305	6.5	11.0
305	330	7.0	12.0
330	356	7.5	13.0
356	381	8.0	14.0
381	406	9.0	14.0
406	458	10.0	14.0
458	508	11.0	14.0
508	-	12.0	14.0

Trailer axle group mass limits relating to tyre width

Maximum mass limits per trailer axle group are described in Table 4 below. This table shows the tyre width in the first two columns and how many tonnes can be carried by the axle group and number of tyres in column three (tandem axle) and column four (tri-axle).

Table 4: Mass limits for an axle group

Tyre width of the narrowest tyre on the axle (mm)		Mass limit if the axle has 2 tyres (tonnes)	Mass limit if the axle has 4 tyres (tonnes)
at least	but less than
Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4
381	406	16.5	22.0
406	431	17.0	23.0
431	458	17.5	24.0
458	482	18.0	25.0
482	508	18.5	26.0
508	-	19.0	27.0

Tandem axle trailer axle group mass limits

The mass on a tandem axle group fitted with dual tyres (Figure 3), where the centreline of the axles is less than 1.35m apart, must not exceed 20t, unless the amount is:

• decrease this by 1t for each 100mm where the axle group’s ground contact width is less than 2.4m; or
• increased this by 1t for each 100mm where the axle group’s ground contact width exceeds 2.5m, the maximum increase limit is 28t.

Note: The centrelines of adjacent axles in an axle group on an eligible vehicle that is operating under a mass exemption provided in this notice must be at least 1.2m apart. 

The mass on a tandem axle group fitted with dual tyres (Figure 3), where the centrelines of the axles are at least 1.35m apart, must not exceed 23t, unless the amount is:

• decreased this by 1t for each 100mm where the axle group’s ground contact width is less than 2.4m; or
• increased this by 1t for each 100mm where the axle group’s ground contact width exceeds 2.5m, the maximum increase limit is 28t.

Figure 3: Tandem axle group fitted with dual tyres

Tri-axle trailer axle group mass limits

The mass on a tri-axle group fitted with dual tyres (Figure 4), where the centrelines of the axles is less than 1.35m apart, must not exceed 25t, unless the amount is: 

• decreased this by 1t for each 100mm where the axle group’s ground contact width is less than 2.4m.

Note: The centrelines of adjacent axles in an axle group on an eligible vehicle that is operating under a mass exemption provided in this notice must be at least 1.2m apart.

The mass on a tri-axle group fitted with dual tyres (Figure 4), where the centrelines of the axles are at least 1.35m apart, must not exceed 27t, unless the amount is:

• decreased this by 1t for each 100mm by which the axle group’s ground contact width is less than 2.4m.

Figure 4: Tri axle group fitted with dual tyres

Trailer axle mass limits for trailers without dual tyre axle groups

The mass on a single axle or axle group of a special purpose trailer must not exceed the mass limit specified in Table 5.

Table 5: Mass Limits for special purpose trailers

Type of axle or axle group	Axles	Axle/vehicle requirements	Mass limit (t)
Single axle or single axle group fitted with single or dual tyres		Single tyres	12.0t
		Dual tyres	12.0t
Tandem axle group fitted with 4 tyres		Single tyres on all axles	14.0t
Tri-axle group fitted with 6 tyres		Single tyres on all axles	18.0t

Total mass limits for special purpose combinations

The total mass of the combination must not exceed the following:

• A prime mover must not exceed the mass limits in Table 2, and 
• the special purpose trailer must comply with the mass limits described in Table 3, Table 4 and Table 5 (the lesser mass limit applies).

Other conditions and additional information

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.

Complying with the HVNL

Unless otherwise exempted by the Notice or this Operator's Guide, operators must ensure their vehicle or combination complies with ADRs, HVNL, MDL and 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. From 20 December 2023, 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.

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.  

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.

Separate conditions apply for mass and dimension access to routes and areas in Queensland, where an eligible vehicle exceeds both mass and dimension requirements, they may only operate on road networks where both mass and dimension networks overlap. 

An eligible vehicle operating under mass or dimension exemptions of this Notice may operate in Queensland, subject to compliance with TMR Excess Mass and Conditions:

• In Queensland, all Special Purpose Vehicles exceeding regulation mass are required to have a supervised weigh and measure prior to obtaining access to the Queensland state-controlled road network.
• The operator of an excess mass Special Purpose Vehicle in Queensland must obtain an Authority to Operate (ATO) for each individual vehicle.
• The operator and driver must comply with the Conditions of Operations Database that lists changes and updates to road conditions, including:
  • Conditions for an excess mass/excess dimension vehicle operating under a Notice or permit.
  • Queensland-wide conditions of operation applicable for Queensland roads.
• The operator and driver must comply with the Queensland Access Conditions Guide. This document provides locations, times, routes, and network information for operating on public roads in Queensland.

Related notices

In this tab, you will find a list of state and territory notices related to the Queensland Class 1 Special Purpose Combination Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2024 (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 notices

Resources

There are currently no resources, supporting documents, tools, or calculators for this Notice. 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

Changes and updates