HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW
Tasmania Class 3 Transport of Export Freight Containers Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1)
- Purpose
- This Notice grants exemptions from mass requirements for a class 3 heavy vehicle that is carrying freight containers containing perishable foodstuff for export.
- This notice revokes and replaces Tasmania Class 3 Transport Export Freight Containers Mass Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1).
- Authorising provision
- This Notice is made under the following provision of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL):
- section 117 – Regulator’s power to exempt category of class 1 or 3 heavy vehicles from compliance with mass or dimension requirement.
- Section 23 of Schedule 1 – Regulator’s power to amend or repeal instrument.
- Title
This exemption Notice may be cited as the Tasmania Class 3 Transport Export Freight Containers Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1).
- Commencement date
This Notice commences on 1 August 2026.
- Expiry date
This Notice expires on 9 February 2029.
- Definitions
Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this Notice have the same meanings as those in the HVNL and its regulations.
- Application
- This exemption notice applies to a class 3 heavy combination that is transporting perishable foodstuff for export.
- This exemption notice applies to a heavy combination consisting of a:
- prime mover with a single steer axle and a tandem drive axle; and a
- semi-trailer with a tri-axle group.
- This exemption notice only applies to a heavy combination transporting a freight container not exceeding 12.2m in length.
- This notice applies in Tasmania.
- A heavy combination to which this section applies and that complies with the conditions of this notice is an eligible vehicle.
- Exemption – Prescribed mass requirements
- An eligible vehicle is exempt from the following mass requirements under Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL Regulation):
- section 2 – Mass limits for a single vehicle or combination
- section 4 – Mass limits for a single axle or axle group
- section 5 – Mass limits relating to axle spacing generally
- An exemption in 1) only applies to an eligible vehicle to the extent that specific conditional mass limits are provided in sections 9 and 10 of this notice.
- In any case, any additional or conditional mass allowed under this Notice may not exceed manufacturer mass limits pursuant to section 8 of the MDL Regulation.
- Conditions – Mass (total mass of an eligible vehicle)
An eligible vehicle must not exceed 47.5t.
- Conditions – Mass (Mass limits for types of axle groups)
- On an eligible vehicle, an axle group described in Column 1 of Table 2 must not exceed the mass listed in Column 2.
Table 1: Maximum masses for axle groups
Column 1 | Column 2 |
Axle Group | Maximum mass (t) |
Single steer axle | 6.0t |
Tandem drive axle group | 18.5t |
Tri-axle group | 22.5t |
- An eligible vehicle with a complying steer axle may add 0.5t to the maximum mass listed in column 2 of Table 1.
- On an eligible vehicle, all axle groups must be fitted with dual tyres, other than the steer axle.
- Condition – Alternative Compliance Accreditation (ACA) – Mass
The operator of an eligible vehicle must hold Alternative Compliance Accreditation (ACA) – Mass or mass management accreditation granted prior to 1 August 2026.
- Condition – Road-friendly suspension system
All axles of the combination, other than the steer axle, must be equipped with a certified road-friendly suspension system.
- Condition – Container declaration documentation
- Each freight container must be accompanied by documentation specifying:
- the origin and destination of the container; and
- the nature of the commodity in the container.
- Condition – Stated areas or routes
- Pursuant to the authorisation granted in section 8 of this notice, an eligible vehicle may operate in the areas and on the routes specified in this section.
- An eligible vehicle complying with the conditions of this notice is authorised to operate on route provided in the following network
Tasmanian Declared Higher Mass Limits (HML) Network
- For the purposes of section 119(1)(a) of the HVNL, the route specified in this section is a route to which this notice applies.
- An eligible vehicle operating on the route specified in this section must comply with any of the following conditions prescribed for that route:
- Road conditions pursuant to section 160 of the HVNL; and
- Travel conditions pursuant to section 161 of the HVNL; and
- Vehicle conditions pursuant to section 162 of the HVNL.
Jose Arredondo
Manager, Network Access Policy
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
Overview
The Tasmania Class 3 Transport Export Freight Containers Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1) was enacted to address the need for streamlined mass exemptions for class 3 heavy vehicles transporting perishable foodstuffs for export in Tasmania. This Notice was introduced under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), which empowers regulators to exempt certain categories of heavy vehicles from mass and dimension requirements. The Notice was enacted by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and its purpose is to provide a regulatory framework that allows for the efficient transportation of export freight containers while ensuring compliance with specific mass and operational conditions. This exemption notice revokes and replaces the Tasmania Class 3 Transport Export Freight Containers Mass Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1) and will commence on 1 August 2026, expiring on 9 February 2029.
Scope and Application
This Notice pertains to a class 3 heavy vehicle combination in Tasmania that is transporting perishable foodstuff for export, specifically those combinations consisting of a prime mover with a single steer axle and a tandem drive axle, and a semi-trailer with a tri-axle group. The Notice exempts these vehicles from certain mass requirements stipulated in the Heavy Vehicle (Mass Dimension and Loading) National Regulation, provided that the freight container does not exceed 12.2 meters in length. The exemption applies only in Tasmania and is in effect from 1 August 2026 until 9 February 2029. To qualify for the exemption, the vehicle must adhere to specific conditions, including a maximum total mass of 47.5 tonnes, specific mass limits for different axle groups, and the requirement that all axles except the steer axle must be fitted with dual tyres and a certified road-friendly suspension system. Additionally, the vehicle operator must hold relevant accreditation and each freight container must be accompanied by documentation detailing the origin, destination, and nature of the commodity. The eligible vehicle is permitted to operate on the Tasmanian Declared Higher Mass Limits Network, subject to compliance with road, travel, and vehicle conditions as outlined in the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
Key Provisions
The Tasmania Class 3 Transport Export Freight Containers Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No. 1) (the Notice) provides specific exemptions from certain mass requirements for class 3 heavy vehicles transporting perishable foodstuff for export in Tasmania. This Notice, which revokes and replaces the 2024 version, is made under section 117 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), allowing the Regulator to exempt certain categories of vehicles from compliance with mass or dimension requirements (section 117(1)). It also draws on the power to amend or repeal instruments provided by section 23 of Schedule 1 of the HVNL. This Notice commences on 1 August 2026 and expires on 9 February 2029.
The Notice applies to class 3 heavy combinations consisting of a prime mover with a single steer axle and a tandem drive axle, and a semi-trailer with a tri-axle group, transporting a freight container not exceeding 12.2m in length. These vehicles must adhere to certain conditions to be considered eligible for the exemptions. Firstly, the total mass of the vehicle must not exceed 47.5t. Secondly, specific mass limits apply to different types of axle groups: the single steer axle must not exceed 6.0t, the tandem drive axle group must not exceed 18.5t, and the tri-axle group must not exceed 22.5t. If the steer axle complies with certain conditions, an additional 0.5t may be added to the tandem drive axle group. All axles, except the steer axle, must be fitted with dual tyres and a certified road-friendly suspension system.
Operators of eligible vehicles must hold Alternative Compliance Accreditation (ACA) – Mass or mass management accreditation granted before 1 August 2026. Additionally, each freight container must be accompanied by documentation specifying the origin, destination, and nature of the commodity in the container. The eligible vehicle is authorised to operate on the Tasmanian Declared Higher Mass Limits (HML) Network, provided it complies with road conditions, travel conditions, and vehicle conditions as specified in sections 160, 161, and 162 of the HVNL.
Breach of the conditions outlined in this Notice may lead to enforcement actions. Although the Notice does not explicitly state penalties, violations of the HVNL and its regulations can result in substantial penalties. For example, section 216 of the HVNL imposes a maximum penalty of $13,200 for individuals and $66,000 for bodies corporate for contravening the HVNL. Further, under section 217, a person who causes another person to contravene the HVNL is liable to penalties equivalent to those for the primary offence. These provisions underscore the importance of adhering to the Notice’s conditions to avoid severe civil and criminal consequences.