National Class 3 Drought Assistance Dimension Exemption Notice 2025 (No.2)

HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

National Class 3 Drought Assistance Dimension Exemption Notice 2025 (No.2)

1.        Purpose

1.     This notice exempts eligible vehicles from complying with certain dimension requirements when transporting specified commodities for consumption by livestock in drought affected areas.

Notes: This notice allows an eligible vehicle to have the same road access that it would have were it not for excess width and height caused by carrying specified commodities to drought affected areas in participating areas.

This notice operates in conjunction with the National Class 3 Drought Relief Dimension Exemption Operator’s Guide that is maintained and published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. The Guide contains important specified information under this notice, such as network references and commodity types.

1.     This notice revokes and replaces the National Class 3 Drought Assistance Dimension Exemption Notice 2025 (No.1).

1.        Authorising Provision

1.     This notice is made under the following provisions of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL):

1.     section 117 – Regulator’s power to exempt category of class 1 or 3 heavy vehicles from compliance with mass or dimension requirement.
2.     section 23 of Schedule 1 – Regulator’s power to amend or repeal instrument.

1.        Commencement

This notice commences on 9 June 2025.

1.        Expiry

This notice expires 19 September 2028.

1.        Title

This notice may be cited as the National Class 3 Drought Assistance Dimension Exemption Notice 2025 (No.2).

1.        Definitions

1.     Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this notice have the same meanings as those defined in the HVNL.
2.     In this notice:

Current Notice means a heavy vehicle authorisation made by Gazette notice under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, and that is current at a relevant time.

Drought affected area means an area stated as drought affected or similar, under a law of the relevant participating jurisdiction.

Eligible vehicle means a heavy vehicle or heavy vehicle combination to which section 7, 8 and 9 apply.

General access means access to all roads, subject to the operation of the Heavy Vehicle National law and the road rules of the relevant participating jurisdiction.

National Class 3 Drought Relief Dimension Exemption Operators Guide (the Guide) means the document of that name published by the NHVR to operate in conjunction with this notice.

Participating jurisdiction means the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

Participating Road Manager means a road manager listed in the Participating Road Manager section of the Guide.

Specified Commodity means a commodity specified as such in the Guide.

1.        Application – Vehicles

1.     This notice applies to a heavy vehicle or a heavy vehicle combination vehicle that is:

1.       a heavy rigid vehicle up to 12.5m in length; or
2.       a prime mover and semi-trailer combination up to 19m in length; or
3.        a prime mover and low loader combination up to 19m in length; or
4.       a B-Double; or
5.       a Road Train.

1.     Further vehicles and vehicle conditions and restrictions specific participating jurisdictions may be found in the Schedules.

1.        Application – Specified Commodities

This notice applies to an eligible vehicle that is being used to transport a Specified Commodity.

1.        Application – Drought affected area

This notice applies to a vehicle transporting a specified commodity to a drought affected area.

1.    Application – Participating Road Managers

1.     This notice applies to road networks managed by Road Managers Participating Road Managers as specified in the Guide.
2.     The road networks accessible under this notice in Participating Road Manager areas are specified in sections 13 and 14, and in the Schedules of relevant jurisdictions.
3.     Conditions for operation under this notice may also be specified by the Participating Road Manager in the Guide.

1.    Exemptions – Dimension

1.     An eligible vehicle that meets the conditions of this notice is exempt from the following dimension requirements in Part 2 of Schedule 6 to the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL Regulation):

1.       Section 7 – Width
2.       Section 8 – Height
3.        Section 13 – Side projection

Note: The exemption in section 11(1)(c) only applies to side projection.

1.     An exemption in this section only applies to the extent that a conditional dimension is provided in section 12.

1.    Conditions – Dimension

1.     An eligible vehicle must not exceed either of the following dimensions:

1.       2.83m in width; and/or
2.       4.6m in height.

1.     In addition to the requirements in section 12(1), the load on an eligible vehicle must not project more than 165mm from the outmost part of either side of the vehicle.

1.    Condition - Stated areas and routes (General Access Vehicles)

1.     The following vehicles and combinations that comply with all conditions of this notice have general access under this notice:

1.       Heavy rigid vehicles up to 12.5m in length; and
2.       Prime mover and semi-trailer combinations up to 19m in length; and
3.        Prime mover and low loader combinations up to 19m in length.

1.    Conditions - Stated areas and routes (B-Doubles and Road Trains)

1.     This section applies to B-Doubles and Road Trains that qualify for access under a current notice.

Example: In Queensland, a current notice for a Road Train is the National Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice, providing that the Road Train in question meets all of the requirements of that notice.

1.     An eligible Road Train or a B-Double that has access under a current notice may access the networks available under that notice.
2.     As well as complying with the requirements of this notice, an eligible vehicle must comply with all of the conditions of the current notice, except for:

1.       Height and width: eligible vehicles may use the conditional height and width limits specified in section 12; and
2.       Applied conditions from Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation: eligible vehicles must always comply with the requirements in section 15; and
3.        Any special conditions set out in the Schedule of a participating jurisdiction.

1.    Conditions – Application of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation

1.     An eligible vehicle operating under this notice that is over 2.6m in width must comply with the requirements of the following sections of Schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation:

1.       Section 2 - Warning Signs and Flags
2.       Section 3 - Warning lights and delineators if load projecting from vehicle
3.        Section 6 - Headlights
4.       Section 8 - No travelling in low visibility
5.       Section 9 - Minimum following distance
6.         Section 11 - Assessing routes

Jose Arredondo

Manager Network Access Policy

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

Schedule 1 Australian Capital Territory

1.        Application - General

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating under this notice in the Australian Capital Territory.

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating in the Australian Capital Territory even if part of the journey includes routes and areas in another state or territory.

1.        Application – Vehicles

There are no additional eligible vehicles.

Schedule 2 New South Wales

1.        Application – General

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating under this notice in New South Wales

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating in the New South Wales even if part of the journey includes routes and areas in another state or territory.

1.        Application – Vehicles

There are no additional eligible vehicles.

Note: Drought assistance access is also available in New South Wales under the New South Wales Class 3 Drought Assistance Dimension Exemption Notice 2023.

Schedule 3 Queensland

1.        Application - General

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating under this notice in Queensland.

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating in the Queensland even if part of the journey includes routes and areas in another state or territory.

1.        Application – Vehicles (Truck and Dog Combinations)

In addition to the vehicles specified in section 7 of the notice, truck and dog combinations may have access under this schedule.

1.        Condition - Stated areas and routes (General Access Truck and Dog Combinations)

Eligible vehicles set out in section 2 of this schedule up to 19m in length have general access.

1.        Conditions - Stated areas and routes (Restricted Access Truck and Dog Combinations)

1.     Eligible vehicles set out in section 2 of this schedule that are longer than 19m in length must qualify for access under a current notice.

Example: In Queensland, a current notice for a truck and Dog Trailer might be the National Class 2 PBS Level 1 & 2A Truck And Dog Trailer Authorisation Notice, providing that the combination in question meets all of the requirements of that notice.

1.     An eligible truck and dog combination that has access under a current notice may access the networks available under that notice.
2.     As well as complying with the requirements of this notice, an eligible vehicle must comply with all of the conditions of the current notice, except for:

1.       Height and width: eligible vehicles may use the conditional height and width limits specified in s 12; and
2.       Applied conditions from schedule 8 of the MDL Regulation: eligible vehicles must always comply with the requirements in section 15; and
3.        Any special conditions set out in the Schedule of a participating jurisdiction.

Schedule 4 South Australia

1.        Application - General

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating under this notice in South Australia.

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating in South Australia even if part of the journey includes routes and areas in another state or territory.

1.        Application – Vehicles

No additional eligible vehicles or conditions other than in the notice.

Schedule 5 Tasmania

1.        Application - General

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating under this notice in Tasmania

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating in Tasmania even if part of the journey includes routes and areas in another state or territory.

1.        Application – Vehicles

No additional eligible vehicles or conditions other than in the notice.

3. Conditions (stated areas or routes)

1.     An eligible vehicle must not travel on –

1.       The Tasman Bridge on Tasman Highway if the vehicle is higher than 4.3m;
2.       Any road where there is insufficient height clearance for the vehicle to pass without striking or damaging any road infrastructure.

Note-  The driver of an eligible vehicle that is higher than 4.3m must assess the suitability of a road prior to operating the vehicle on that road.  One source of information which may be used is The Height Clearance Under Overhead Structures Map which is maintained by the Tasmanian Department of State Growth and is published on its website.

Schedule 6 Victoria

1.        Application - General

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating under this notice in Victoria.

1.     This schedule applies to eligible vehicles operating in Victoria even if part of the journey includes routes and areas in another state or territory.

1.        Application – Vehicles

No additional eligible vehicles or conditions other than in the notice.