Definitions 

Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this Operator’s Guide have the same meanings as those defined in the HVNL and the Notice. 

Eligible vehicles

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

Combinations eligible to operate under the Notice, as shown in Table 1, include:

• B-doubles,
• Prime mover towing a semitrailer and converter dolly
• A-double
• B-triple (modular)
• B-triple
•  AB-triple
• A-triple
• BAB-quad
• ABB-quad

Note: The following combination configurations must comply with the MDL Regulation, the VS Regulation and any condition under the Notice. Other than the drive group, the axle groups shown in the images may vary depending on the combination's axle configuration.

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 the Notice.

Application of the Class 2 Authorisation Notices

As well as complying with the requirements of the Notice, an eligible vehicle must comply with all of the conditions of the following authorisation notices:

• National Class 2 B-double Authorisation Notice 2024 (No.1)
• National Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice 2025 (No.1).

Except for height and width, eligible vehicles may use the conditional height and width limits specified below in Tables 2 and 3 under 'Dimension conditions'. 

Other conditions and additional information

Pilots and escorts 

An eligible vehicle must comply with any relevant conditions in the Escorting Guidelines for Oversize and Overmass Vehicles and Loads in South Australia.

Further pilots and escorts may be required to ensure a safe journey and to address safety concerns (for example, road geometry, turn movements and traffic volumes). Operators are encouraged to consult with SAPOL’s escorting unit on 08 8207 6035 for further advice. 

Assessing routes before travel

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.

Warning signs

Eligible combinations longer than 22m but not longer than 30m must display a long vehicle warning sign at the vehicle's rear (as shown in Figure 1).

Eligible combinations longer than 30m must display a road train warning sign at the front and rear of the combination (as shown in Figure 2).

Warning sign requirements are described in the NHVR's Vehicle Standards Guide (VSG-19).

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

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.

To access the relevant networks, please click on the link in Table 4. If you are accessing the networks through the NHVR National Network Maps directly, please search using the 'Vehicles & Routing’ and ‘Access Instruments' dropdown menus. 

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.  

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.

Related notices 

In this tab, you will find a list of national, state and territory notices related to the South Australia Class 3 Specified Routes Dimension Exemption Notice 2025 (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

Tools and calculators

Note: This information is intended to provide general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. We encourage you to obtain independent advice about your legal obligations. If you have any feedback on the information provided please contact us at info@nhvr.gov.au

B-double MDL Dimension and Axle Spacing Check Sheet

B-Double MDL Dimension and Axle Spacing Check Sheet (XLSX, 37KB)

Check sheet instructions

1. If required, open the 'Vehicle Dimensions' tab and enter vehicle length, height and width; This will show compliance with Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL) dimensions.
2. Enter the number of axles for each axle group in light grey boxes
3. Enter MDL GML axle/axle group mass (tonnes) for each axle/axle group in white boxes. (Note: steer axle mass is recorded as 6t)
4. In blue boxes, alternately record axle group length (metres) for each axle group (Note: 0 for a single axle) and distance between separate groups
5. Scroll across to right and compliance with MDL Schedule 1 tables is indicated as PASS or FAIL

Note: If the result is a FAIL, reducing masses at step 4 or increasing distances in step 5 could provide a PASS result. A PASS result means the given information complies with B-double axle spacings mass limits for general access (up to 50.0t).

Figure 3 shows a 7-axle B-double (single steer, tandem drive prime mover, tandem axle A trailer, tandem axle B trailer) 4 axle groups and 3 axle spacings between groups. Distances for axle group length and spacing between axle groups are measured between the axle centres of the extreme axles of each group.

Road Train MDL Dimension and Axle Spacing Check Sheet

Road Train MDL Dimension and Axle Spacing Check Sheet (XLSX, 60KB)

Check sheet instructions

1. If required, open the 'Vehicle Dimensions' tab and enter vehicle length, height and width; This will show compliance with Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL) dimensions.
2. Count the number of axle groups (Note: a single axle is one group) and select tab for that number of axle groups
3. Enter the number of axles for each axle group in light grey boxes
4. Enter MDL GML axle/axle group mass (tonnes) for each axle/axle group in white boxes. (Note: steer axle mass is recorded as 6t)
5. In blue boxes, alternately record axle group length (metres) for each axle group (Note: 0 for a single axle) and distance between separate groups
6. Scroll across to right and compliance with MDL Schedule 1 tables is indicated as PASS or FAIL

Note: If the result is a FAIL, reducing masses at step 4 or increasing distances in step 5 could provide a PASS result. A PASS result means the given information complies with Road train axle spacing mass limits.

Figure 4 shows an 11 axle A-double (single steer, tandem drive prime mover, triaxle semi, tandem dolly, triaxle trailer) 5 axle groups and 4 spacings between groups. Distances for axle group length and spacing between axle groups are measured between the axle centres of the extreme axles of each group.

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