C2020G00213 National Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle and Combination Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice
This notice exempts eligible agricultural vehicles and combinations from certain mass and dimension requirements of the Heavy Vehicle National Law and Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation, and other certain requirements of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation, and places conditions on their operation in designated Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Zones.
Who does this notice apply to?
This Notice only applies to agricultural vehicles and agricultural combinations which include a heavy vehicle. A vehicle is a heavy vehicle if it has a GVM or ATM of more than 4.5t.
The notice was developed in partnership with industry, participating state and territory road transport authorities and local road managers to provide better road access to agricultural vehicles. The notice was based on research conducted by Austroads and VicRoads respectively.
Specifications
Commence Date: | 13 March 2020 |
Expiry Date: | 30 April 2024 |
Vehicle Types: | Class 1 |
Exemptions: | N/A |
Network: | 10/02/2014 |
Law: | HVNL |
Category: | |
Coverage: | ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, VIC |
To be carried: | Not required |
Overview
When is travel NOT allowed under this notice?
- a mass exceeds a mass limit or a condition relating to mass
- a dimension exceeds the dimension limit for the Zone of travel or does not meet a condition relating to a dimension
- a dimension exceeds Zone 1 dimension limits on an Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Restricted Road
- travel would not comply with any conditions of the Notice, the Guide or the Map.
If you are unable to travel under the Notice, access may be possible under a Class 1 mass and/or dimension permit for the agricultural vehicle or combination, subject to a granting of consent by the relevant road manager/s. For more information, please contact the NHVR.
Speed limits - Tow mass ratio and brake performance testing
The National Class 1 Agricultural notice states speed limits for certain agricultural combinations. The speeds limits are based on the tow mass ratio between the hauling unit and the trailer. If an operator cannot determine the mass of the vehicles to calculate the tow mass ratio, then a simple braking test can be performed. Refer to Tow Mass Ratios for Agricultural Vehicles (PDF, 234KB) for the maximum operating speed for agricultural combinations and examples of tow mass ratio.
Related Notices
State based information
There are currently three states that provide notices authorising the use of agricultural vehicles and combinations. Operators must only operate under the National Class 1 Agricultural notice or the current state notices for the entire journey. No ‘mix-and-match’ of provisions, exemptions, conditions or approved areas and routes are allowed. The jurisdictional notices remain in effect until the state agricultural notice has been revoked.
***link these pages to our own landing page for each notice once created
STATE | NOTICE |
---|---|
QLD |
|
SA |
|
VIC |
|
Changes & Updates
Previous Notices
This Notice revokes and replaces the National Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle and Combination Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2019 (No.2).
It makes a minor amendment to the definition of rubber tracked tractor to specify the status of ‘half-tracked tractors”.
Amendments
- List of amendments to notices
- List of amendments to notices
- List of amendments to notices
Updates
10 January 2021
- Updated the how vehicles are regulated
23 March 2020
- Changed limit from 1 to 10 tones
Expiring or expired jurisdictional agricultural notices
The NHVR will commence the revocation process affecting the notices listed in the table below. This means the notices will be ineffective 28 days after the NHVR publishes the revocation advice for each listed jurisdictional notice.
Operators are advised to review the conditions of access for the National Class 1 Agricultural notice before the date of expiry or revocation is completed. Where the vehicle or combination is unable to comply with the notice, the operator will need to apply for a permit.
STATE | NOTICE |
---|---|
New South Wales |
|
Queensland |
|
Tasmania |
|
What happens if I already have a permit that refers to an expired notice?
Operators should check existing permits to ensure the full journey is approved by either the permit or an active notice.
A new permit is required if the existing permit does not cover the full journey and refers to an expired notice. This is where a route commences or ends at a network of a revoked notice and the combination does not comply with the National Class 1 Agricultural notice.
If you need a permit, you will have to submit a new access permit application through the NHVR Portal
Supporting Documents
This Notice operates in conjunction with the National Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle and Combination Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice Operator’s Guide (Guide) and the Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Map (Map) that are maintained and published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. The Guide and Map contains important specified information under this Notice, such as approved networks and access conditions.
- National Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle and Combination Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice Operator’s Guide (PDF, 3.6MB)
- Appendix 5: Road Manager conditions (PDF, 3.9MB)
Resources, Factsheets, Tools and Calculators
Terms used in this notice
Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this Notice have the same meanings as those defined in the HVNL.
- Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Zone (Zone) means an area designated as such on the Map. Note: Zones are areas where specific mass, dimension and other conditions apply as specified in this Notice. Zones are numbered 1 to 5.
- Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Restricted Road means a road for which Zone 1 dimension provisions apply regardless of the Zone the road passes through. Note: Agricultural heavy vehicle restricted roads are specified on the Map.
- Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Zone Map (Map) means the map of that name published by the NHVR that displays:
- a) Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Zones; and
- b) Any road and travel conditions that may apply on roads or areas within a Zone.
- Agricultural Vehicle Route Assessment means a route assessment completed in the prescribed form as for travel in New South Whiles, subject to s22 of this Notice and the Guide.
- Approved Cotton Harvester Road means a road so designated on the Map for the purposes of section 20 of this Notice.
- Approved Sugarcane Harvester Road means a road designated as such on the Zone Map for the purposes of section 11 of this Notice.
- Eligible cotton harvester means a vehicle that meets the requirements of section 20 and that complies with the conditions of this Notice.
- Eligible vehicle means a vehicle that complies with section 7 of this Notice.
- Guide means the National Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle and Combination Mass and Dimension Notice Operator’s Guide, published by the NHVR. Note: This Notice refers to and adopts certain information published in the Guide, and the Guide operates in conjunction with this Notice.
- Major Road means a State controlled road.
- Map means the Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Map, published by the NHVR. Note: This Map refers to and adopts certain information published in the Guide and this Notice, and the Map operates in conjunction with this Notice.
- Pair of tracks means a set of connected tracks on a rubber tracked tractor with one track on each side of the vehicle.
- Participating jurisdiction means the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania or Victoria.
- Rubber tracked tractor means an agricultural machine designed to tow and provide power for agricultural implements, which has at least one pair of rubber tracks instead of conventional wheeled axles in one of the following configurations:
- a) one pair of tracks and one conventional wheeled axle (half tracked tractor);
- b) one pair of tracks and no conventional wheeled axle (dual tracked tractor); or
- c) two pairs of tracks, (quad tracked tractor).
- Sugarcane harvester means a harvester used for the harvest of sugar cane.
- Tow Mass Ratio means the ratio of the mass of the towing vehicle to the combined mass of the towed implements and/or trailers, when all vehicles are connected as part of an agricultural combination. Note: To be clear, the tow mass ratio is not based on the independent mass of the towing vehicle to the mass of the towed implements and/or trailers as if they were not connected as part of an agricultural combination.
Tools and Calculators
Table 1 – Conditional mass limits
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
Number and width of tyres on an axle |
Maximum axle mass limit (tonnes) |
Maximum axle group mass limit (tonnes) |
Axle fitted with 2 tyres and a tyre width less than 16 inches (406mm) |
10.0 |
20.0 on tandem axle group 27.0 on tri-axle group |
Axle fitted with 2 tyres and a tyre width at least 16 inches (406mm) |
12.0 |
24.0 on tandem axle group |
Axle fitted with 4 tyres and a ground contact width less than 2.51m |
9.0 |
N/A |
Axle fitted with 4 tyres and a ground contact width at least 2.51m but not more than 3.5m |
10.5 |
N/A |
Axle fitted with 4 tyres and a ground contact width more than 3.5m |
12.0 |
N/A |
Table 2 – Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Zone conditional dimension limits
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
Column 4 |
Column 5 |
Column 6 |
Exempted dimension requirement |
Zone 1 |
Zone 2 |
Zone 3 |
Zone 4 |
Zone 5 |
Single vehicle length (metres) |
12.5 |
15.0 |
15.0 |
15.0 |
15.0 |
Articulated vehicle length (metres) |
19.0 |
19.0 |
19.0 |
19.0 |
19.0 |
Combination length (metres) |
25.0 |
25.0 |
25.0 |
35.0 |
35.0 |
Agricultural implement length (metres) |
12.5 |
15.0 |
20.0 |
25.0 |
25.0 |
Height (metres) |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
Width (metres) |
3.0 |
3.7 |
5.0 |
6.5 |
7.5 |
Single vehicle rear overhang (metres) |
5.5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
Auger and conveyor rear overhang (metres) |
5.5 |
8.0 |
9.0 |
10.0 |
10.0 |
Implement rear overhang (metres) |
5.5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
Harvester rear overhang (metres) |
5.5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
Network & Maps
Roads covered by this notice
You can view the road network that is covered by this notice by doing the following:
- Load the route planner tool NHVR Route Planner
- On the map zoom into the area you would like to travel to and from
- On the top right of the screen hover over the layers option and check the following options:
- State/Territories Declared Roads
- IAP Category 1 State roads (QLD)
- IAP Category 2 State roads (QLD)
- HML (ACT, NT, QLD, TAS Only)
- HML (VIC Only)
- B-double 23m Network
Planning your route
In addition to the above you can plan your route by adding in your waypoints.
Note: the tool does not currently support custom routes. You will need to discuss this with the portal team.
Conditions
We could summarize the conditions and link off to more detail on the notice page. Or format them in expanders. But this should be explanation of notice, not duplicate. Where is the balance?
- 9. Conditions – Mass (All Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Zones)
- 1) The mass of an eligible vehicle must not exceed the following limits:
- a) 45.0 tonnes GCM; and
- b) The mass on an axle that has the number and width of tyres specified in Column 1 of Table 1 must not be more than the mass limit set out in Column 2 opposite the description of that axle; and
- c) The mass of an axle group must not be more than the axle group mass limits set out in Column 3 of Table 1; and the mass of the axles in that axle group must not be more than the mass specified in section (b).
- 1) The mass of an eligible vehicle must not exceed the following limits:
- Table 1 – Conditional mass limits For all conditions, view the notice at the Federal Register of Legislation
- 10. Exemptions – Dimensions
- 11. Conditions – Dimensions (Limited by Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Zone)
- 12. Conditions – Stated Areas and Routes (Zones and Map)
- 13. Conditions – Stated Areas and Routes (Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Restricted Road)
- 14. Conditions – Stated Areas and Routes (Prohibited Structures)
- 15. Conditions —Pilot and escort requirements (Day travel)
- 16. Conditions - Pilot and escort requirements (Night travel)
- 17. Conditions - Tow mass ratio restrictions for agricultural combinations
- 18. Conditions – Speed restrictions for agricultural combinations
- 19. Conditions — Travel in an 80km/h or higher speed zone
- 20. Conditions —Special Conditions for eligible cotton harvesters
- 21. Conditions — Special Conditions for rubber tracked tractors
- 22. Conditions – Agricultural Vehicle Route Assessment (New South Wales)
- 23. Conditions – Bridge formula mass restrictions for travel in Queensland
- 24. Conditions – Travel on freeways
How can we summarize this conditions info without copying the whole notice across?
Rubber Tracked Tractors | Eligible Cotton Harvesters | Tow Mass Ratio | Dimensions | Pilot & Escort | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
South Australia | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box |
Victoria | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box |
Tasmania | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box |
New South Wales | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box |
Northern Territory | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box |
Western Australia | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box |
Queensland | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box |
Australian Capital Territory | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box | put relevant detail in box |
How can we summarize this conditions info without copying the whole notice across?
Conditions | Exemptions | Stated areas and routes | Tow Mass Ratio | Pilot and Escorts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National | Dimensions |
Zones and Map Agricultural Heavy Vehicle Restricted Road Stated Areas and Routes |
Tow mass ratio restrictions for agricultural combinations | ||
South Australia | |||||
Victoria | |||||
Tasmania | |||||
New South Wales | Agricultural Vehicle Route Assessment (New South Wales) | ||||
Northern Territory | |||||
Western Australia | |||||
Queensland | Bridge formula mass restrictions for travel in Queensland | ||||
Australian Capital Territory |