In-principle Support for non-standard road vehicles

This application is for operators or owners of heavy non-standard road vehicles like Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) seeking In-principle Support for the registration and use of the vehicle.

Before you apply for In-principle Support of a non-standard road vehicle

Important: Before importing a non-standard road vehicle into Australia, you must obtain an import approval from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
Applicants should NOT commence the import or manufacture of a non-standard road vehicle or SPV before gaining in-principle support for the vehicle.

  • Read Vehicle Standards - Industry Guide to In-Principle Support (PDF, 971KB) for more information on In-principle Support requirements and process.
  • Consider seeking advice from a vehicle modifier, an AVE or the NHVR regarding your non-standard road vehicle.
  • Ensure your application includes all additional information (for example, engineer’s reports, photos, diagrams or schematics) to help us assess your application.

I’m ready to apply for In-principle Support for a non-standard road vehicle

Apply for in-principle support through the NHVR Portal.

  • An application cannot be submitted unless all sections are complete, and all relevant documents have been attached in the NHVR Portal.
  • An operator or owner can register a third-party service provider on their portal account to manage this process on their behalf

You can track the progress of an application in the NHVR portal. If we need additional information to help with our assessment, we will request this in the NHVR Portal and you will receive a notification by email. will then consult directly with registration authorities and road managers, and consider vehicle standards, safety and access issues to decide if the application can be approved.