Victoria Class 3 Road Friendly Suspension Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1)

HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

Victoria Class 3 Road Friendly Suspension Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1)

1.        Purpose

1.       This notice grants exemptions from mass requirements for a class 3 heavy vehicle fitted with certified road friendly suspension. It also provides conditions of operation under those exemptions, including stated areas and routes upon which the exempted vehicle may operate.

1.       This notice revokes and replaces the Victoria Class 3 Road Friendly Suspension Mass Exemption Notice 2024 (No.1).

1.        Authorising provision

1.       This notice is made under the following provision 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.        Title

This notice may be cited as the Victoria Class 3 Road Friendly Suspension Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1).

1.        Commencement date

This notice commences on 1 August 2026.

1.        Expiry date

This notice expires on 26 October 2028.

1.        Definitions

Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this notice have the same meanings as those in the HVNL and its regulations.

1.        Application

1.       This notice applies to a Class 3 heavy vehicle that is a:

1.       a rigid truck; or
2.       prime mover towing a semitrailer; or
3.        a B-double.

1.       This notice does not apply to a heavy combination consisting of a rigid truck towing a trailer.

1.       This notice applies in Victoria.

1.       A heavy vehicle to which this section applies and that complies with the conditions of this notice is an eligible vehicle.

1.        Exemption – Prescribed mass requirements

1.       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):

1.       section 2 – Mass limits for a single vehicle or combination
2.       section 4 – Mass limits for a single axle or axle group
3.        section 5 – Mass limits relating to axle spacing generally

1.       An exemption in 1) only applies to an eligible vehicle to the extent that specific conditional mass limits are provided in sections 9, 10 and 11.

1.       If, in relation to a particular vehicle or component, this notice provides for two or more mass limits imposing different mass limits that apply in the same circumstances, the lower mass limit applies, and the other mass limit must be disregarded.

1.        Conditions – Mass (mass limits for a single axle or axle group)

1.       The mass on an axle described in column 1 of Table 1 must not exceed the limit provided in column 2.

Table 1: Maximum masses for axle groups

Note: This mass limits provided in table 1 replace masses for the described axles that are imposed in Table 1 axle mass limits table, in Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the MDL Regulation.

1.    Conditions – Mass (mass limits relating to axle spacing)

1.       For an axle described in column 1 of Table 2, pursuant to section 5 of Schedule 1 of the MDL Regulation the mass on that axle may exceed the masses prescribed under a relevant table by the additional mass specified in column 2.

1.       The relevant table specified in 1) is the following table from Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the MDL Regulation depending on vehicle type:

1.       for an eligible vehicle that is not a B-double – Table 2
2.       for an eligible vehicle that is a B-double – Table 3

Table 2: Additional masses for axles based on spacing

Note: The additional masses in this section apply in relation to those in section 9 of this notice in the same way section 4 and 5 of Schedule 1 of the MDL Regulation apply. The masses in section 9 of this notice apply unless a lesser limit under section 10 apply.

1.    Condition – Total vehicle mass

1.       An eligible vehicle that is not a b-double must not exceed 45.5t in total mass.

1.       An eligible vehicle that is a b-double must not exceed 68.5t in total mass.

1.    Condition – Road friendly suspension

An eligible vehicle must have certified road friendly suspension installed on any axle to which the conditional masses under section 9 and 10 apply.

1.    Condition – Alternative Compliance Accreditation (ACA) – Mass for tri or quad axle groups over 20t

The operator of a vehicle that is travelling under this notice, and whose tri-axle or quad-axle group exceeds 20.0t, must hold Alternative Compliance Accreditation (ACA) – Mass or under mass management accreditation granted prior to 1 August 2026.

1.    Conditions – Areas and routes

1.       An eligible vehicle may access all roads in Victoria except for a vehicle specified in subsections 2, 3 or 4 of this section.

1.       An eligible vehicle is a prime mover towing a semi-trailer that has a tri-axle group exceeding 20.0 tonnes may access the following network in Victoria:

Higher Mass Limits Network

1.       Subject to 14(4), an eligible vehicle that is a B-double may access the following network:

Victoria B-double Network

1.       An eligible vehicle that is a B-double and has a tri-axle group exceeding 20.0 tonnes may access the following networks where they intersect:

Higher Mass Limits Network; and the

Victoria B-double Network

1.       For the purposes of section 119(1)(a) of the HVNL, an area or route specified in this section is a stated area or route to which this notice applies.

1.       An eligible vehicle operating on an area or route specified in this notice must comply with the following conditions as specified for those routes and areas:

1.       Road conditions pursuant to section 160 of the HVNL; and
2.       Travel conditions pursuant to section 161 of the HVNL; and
3.        Vehicle conditions pursuant to section 162 of the HVNL.

Jose Arredondo

Manager Network Access Policy

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator