Heavy Vehicle National Law - Multi-State Class 1 LCV Mass Exemption Notice 2016 Amendment Notice 2019 (No.2)

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HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016

Amendment Notice 2019 (No. 2)

 

  1. Purpose

(1)    This Notice amends the Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 (LCV Dimension Exemption) by replacing the South Australia Schedule.

 

Note: The new South Australia Schedule in this amendment contains corrections to section 3 and to “Table 1 – Mass limits for a tandem axle dolly and prime mover”

 

 This amendment replaces the Schedule included in the Multi-State Class 1 LCV Mass Exemption Notice 2016 Amendment Notice 2019 (No.1).

 

2.       Authorising Provision

(1)    This notice is made under section 119, and section 23 of Schedule 1, of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).

3.       Commencement

This notice commences on the date of its publication.

4.       Expiry

This notice expires when the Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 expires, is cancelled or otherwise amended.

5.       Amendment

(1)    This Notice amends the Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 by:

a)      Omitting “Schedule 2 South Australia”, and inserting “Schedule 2 South Australia” contained in Schedule 1 of this Notice.

 

Note: This section specifically replaces the South Australia Schedule introduced in the Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 Amendment Notice 2019 (No. 1).

 

 

Peter Caprioli

Executive Director (Freight and Supply Chain Productivity)

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator


Schedule 1: Replacement South Australia Schedule

 

Schedule 3 South Australia

1                      Vehicles and vehicle categories

(1)         This Schedule applies to a load carrying vehicle that is comprised of a prime mover towing:

(a)           a low loader fitted with 3, 4 or 5 axles; or

(b)          a tandem axle low loader dolly, and a low loader mentioned in (a).

(2)         A prime mover mentioned in subsection (1) must be fitted with a single steer axle and a dual-drive tandem axle group.

(3)         A vehicle mentioned in subsection (1) is an eligible vehicle in this Schedule.

2                      Maximum mass of an eligible vehicle

(1)         The mass of an eligible vehicle must not be more than 93.5t.

Note: Complying steer axle vehicles may operate at an additional 0.5t above the mass above

3                      Axle group mass limits for a low loader or low loader dolly

(1)         The mass on a tandem axle dolly fitted with 4 tyres on each axle must not be more than 18.5t.

(2)         The mass on an axle group of a low loader dolly with 8 tyres on each axle must not be more than a mass limit determined by the application of Table 1.

(3)         The sum of the mass on a dual-drive tandem axle group and the mass on a tandem axle dolly must not be more than the mass limit stated in Table 1, for the minimum overall axle spacing and minimum ground contact width for the dolly axle specified in the Table 1.

 


Table 1 – Mass limits for a tandem axle dolly and prime mover

Minimum dolly ground contact width (m)

Minimum overall axle spacing (m)

3.6

3.8

4.0

4.2

4.4

4.6

4.8

5.0

5.2 +

Maximum sum of drive axle and tandem axle dolly mass limit (t)

4 tyred axle mass limit (t)

2.4

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

8 tyred axle mass limit (t)

2.4

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

2.6

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

2.8

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

3

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

3.2

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

3.4

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

3.6

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

3.8

35.5

36.5

37.5

38.5

40

41

42

43

44

4

35.5

37

38

39

40.5

42

43

44

45

4.2

35.5

37

38

39.5

41

43

44

45

46

4.4

35.5

37

38

39.5

41.5

44

45

46

47

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: The 'overall axle spacing' in Table 1 is the distance from the centre of the first axle in the drive axle group to the centre of the last axle in the dolly group shown in Figure 1.
 

Figure 1 - Overall axle spacing measurement guide

(4)         The mass on an axle group of a low loader must not be more than the mass limit stated in Table 2, for the stated axle group configuration and minimum axle group ground contact width specified.

Table 2 – Mass limits of low loader axle groups

Minimum axle group ground contact width (m)

Number and spacing of axles in axle group (spacing in metres)

3 @ 1.2

3 @ 1.8

4 @ 1.2

4 @ 1.2, 2.4, 1.2 or 5 @ 1.2

4 tyred axle mass limit (t)

≥2.4

25

27

30

35

8 tyred axle mass limit (t)

2.4

25

27

30

35

2.6

26

29

31.5

36

2.7

27

31

33

37.5

2.8

28

33

34

39

2.9

29

34.5

35

40

3.0

30

36

36

41

3.1

31

37.5

37.5

42

3.2

32

39

39

43.5

3.3

33

40

40

44.5

3.4

34

41

41

46

3.5

35

42

42

47

3.6

36

43

43

48

3.7

37

44

44

49

3.8

38

45

45

50

3.9

39

46

46

51

4.0

40

47

47

52

4.1

40

48

48

53

4.2

40

48

49

54

4.3

40

48

49

55

4.4

40

48

49

56

4                      Conditions - Axle spacings

(1)          For a prime mover and low loader combination, the distance from the centre-line of the rear most axle of the prime mover to the centre-line of the foremost axle of the low loader must not be less than 6.0m.

(2)          For a prime mover, low loader dolly and low loader combination, the distance from the centre-line of the rear most axle of the dolly to the centre-line of the foremost axle of the low loader must not be less than 6.0m.

 

5                      Conditions - Areas or routes

 

(1)    An eligible vehicle up to 2.5 metres wide, 23 metres long or 4.6 metres high with a total mass of up to 42.5 t may operate on route specified on the maps titled ‘23m 42.5t low loader 24 hr’ or ‘23m 42.5t low loader day only’.

 

(2)    An eligible vehicle up to 3.5 metres wide, 25 metres long or 4.9 metres high with a total mass of no greater than 49.5 t may operate on route specified on the map titled ‘25m 49.5t low loader’.

 

(3)    An eligible vehicle up to 3.5 metres wide, 25 metres long, or 4.9 metres high with a total mass of no greater than 59.5 t may operate on route specified on the map titled ‘25m 59.5t low loader’.

 

(4)    An eligible vehicle up to 4.0 metres wide, 30 metres long, or 4.9 metres high with a total mass of no greater than 93.5 t may operate on route specified on the map titled ‘4.0m wide up to 93.5t low loader’.

 

(5)    An eligible vehicle up to 4.5 metres wide, 30 metres long, or 4.9 metres high with a total mass of no greater than 93.5 t may operate on route specified on the map titled ‘4.5m wide up to 93.5t low loader’.

Note: The South Australian RAVnet Map System maps are maintained by DPTI and are published on its website.

(6)    An eligible vehicle must only travel on a route specified in section 5 of this Schedule for that category of vehicle and in accordance with any condition or limitation specified for that route.

6                      Conditions - General

(1)         The tyre section width of the narrowest tyre fitted to any low loader dolly or low loader must not be less than 190mm (7.50”).

 

Overview

The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 Amendment Notice 2019 (No. 2) was enacted to correct errors in the South Australia Schedule of the Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016. This legislation amends the mass exemption notice to address specific inaccuracies in the South Australian mass limits for tandem axle dollies and prime movers, and low loader axle groups. The notice was made under the authority of section 119, and section 23 of Schedule 1, of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and commenced on the date of its publication. The amendment will remain in effect until the Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 expires, is cancelled or otherwise amended. The policy objective is to ensure consistency and accuracy in the mass limits across the multi-state class 1 load carrying vehicles, thereby enhancing safety and regulatory compliance. This legislative amendment was introduced by Peter Caprioli, the Executive Director (Freight and Supply Chain Productivity) of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. The notice replaces the South Australia Schedule with a corrected version, specifying updated mass limits for tandem axle dollies, prime movers, and low loader axle groups, along with conditions for axle spacings and permissible routes. The new South Australia Schedule provides precise mass limits based on axle configurations, overall axle spacing, and minimum ground contact width, ensuring that vehicles operating under this exemption adhere to safe and legal mass parameters.

Scope and Application

The Heavy Vehicle National Law Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 Amendment Notice 2019 (No. 2) amends the existing mass exemption for multi-state Class 1 load carrying vehicles by replacing the South Australia Schedule. This notice applies to load carrying vehicles that are comprised of a prime mover towing a low loader fitted with 3, 4, or 5 axles, or a tandem axle low loader dolly, and a low loader. The prime mover must be fitted with a single steer axle and a dual-drive tandem axle group, and the vehicle must adhere to the mass limits specified in the new South Australian Schedule. The mass of an eligible vehicle must not exceed 93.5 tonnes, with specific mass limits for axle groups and dolly configurations detailed in the amended notice. The notice also specifies conditions for axle spacings and permissible routes for vehicles of different dimensions and mass limits. This amendment notice is made under the Heavy Vehicle National Law and applies nationally, with specific provisions for South Australia, and comes into effect upon publication. It will expire when the original Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 expires, is cancelled, or otherwise amended.

Key Provisions

The Heavy Vehicle National Law Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 Amendment Notice 2019 (No. 2) primarily serves to correct and update the mass limits for load carrying vehicles in South Australia, as previously outlined in the Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 and its earlier amendments. This Notice replaces the South Australia Schedule, correcting errors in section 3 and the mass limits for tandem axle dollies and prime movers as specified in Table 1 (Section 3(1)). The Notice is made under sections 119 and 23 of Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and comes into effect upon publication (Section 3). It will remain in force until the original Multi-State Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicles Mass Exemption Notice 2016 expires, is cancelled, or otherwise amended (Section 4). The primary change is the replacement of the South Australia Schedule with the corrected version provided in Schedule 1 of this Notice (Section 5(1)). The Notice imposes specific obligations on the parties it governs. For vehicles falling under the amended South Australia Schedule, these include strict mass limits for the eligible vehicles, tandem axle dollies, and low loader axle groups. The mass of an eligible vehicle must not exceed 93.5 tonnes, with an additional allowance of 0.5 tonnes for compliant steer axle vehicles (Section 2(1)). For tandem axle dollies, the mass limits depend on the number of tyres and the axle spacing, with specific details provided in Table 1 (Section 3(1)-(3)). For low loader axle groups, the mass limits are determined by the axle group configuration and ground contact width, detailed in Table 2 (Section 4). Additionally, there are specific conditions regarding the axle spacings between the prime mover and low loader, and between the low loader dolly and low loader (Section 5(1)-(2)). There are no specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences detailed within this Notice for breaches of its provisions. However, the Notice serves as an amendment to existing legislation that governs heavy vehicle operations, and non-compliance with the mass limits and conditions specified could result in penalties under the broader Heavy Vehicle National Law and associated regulations. The penalties for breaches of heavy vehicle regulations can include fines and potential criminal charges, depending on the severity and intent of the breach.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.