Victoria Class 3 Twinsteer Prime Mover and Semitrailer Combination Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1)

HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

Victoria Class 3 Twinsteer Prime Mover and Semitrailer Combination Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1)

1.        Purpose

1.       This notice grants exemptions from mass requirements for class 3 heavy vehicles.

1.       This notice revokes and replaces the Victoria Class 3 Twinsteer Prime Mover and Semitrailer Combination 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 Twinsteer Prime Mover and Semitrailer Combination Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1).

1.        Commencement date

This notice commences on 1 August 2026.

1.        Expiry date

This notice expires on 10 November 2029.

1.        Definitions

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

1.       In this notice:

Guide means the Victoria Class 3 Heavy Vehicle Twinsteer Prime Mover and Semitrailer Combination Mass Exemption Notice Operator’s Guide published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, and as amended from time to time.

1.        Application

1.       This notice applies to a class 3 heavy vehicle that meets all the requirements in this section.

1.       This notice applies to a heavy vehicle consisting of:

1.       a prime mover constructed with:

1.       a twinsteer axle group with single tyres (two tyres per axle) and load sharing suspension; and
2.       a tandem axle group with dual tyres (four tyres per axle) fitted with a certified road-friendly suspension system;

1.       connected to one semitrailer that has-

1.       a tandem axle group with single tyres on one axle and dual tyres on the other axle fitted with a certified road friendly suspension system; or
2.       a tandem axle group with dual tyres fitted with a certified road-friendly suspension system; or
3.       a tri-axle group with dual tyres fitted with a certified road-friendly suspension system.

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) applies to an eligible vehicle only to the extent that specific conditional mass limits are provided in sections 9, 10 or 11 of this notice.

1.       To be clear, if this notice provides for more than one mass limit that may apply in the same circumstances the more restrictive mass limit applies.

1.       Regardless of any conditional masses prescribed in this notice an eligible vehicle must not exceed manufacturer mass limits as defined in section 8(8) of the MDL Regulation.

1.        Condition – Axle Group Mass Limit

1.       Subject to the total combination mass limit specified in section 2 of this section, the mass of an axle group on an eligible vehicle must not exceed the mass limits specified in Table 1.

Table 1: Maximum Axle Group Mass Limits

1.       The operator of any heavy vehicle to which this notice applies that is fitted with a triaxle group must hold Alternative Compliance Accreditation (ACA) – Mass, or mass management accreditation granted prior to 1 August 2026.

1.    Conditions – Total Combination Mass Limit

An eligible vehicle must not exceed a gross combination mass (GCM) of 49.5 tonnes.

1.    Conditions – Mass Limits Relating to Axle Spacing

1.     An eligible vehicle must not exceed the mass limits in relation to the axle spacing distances set out in column 1 of Table 2 that are the mass limits set out in column 2 of Table B opposite those distances, as increased by:

1.     in respect of each tandem axle group with 8 tyres and a certified road friendly suspension system within that distance – 0.5 tonne; and
2.     in respect of each tandem axle group with 6 tyres and a certified road friendly suspension system within that distance – 1.0 tonne; and
3.      in respect of each tri-axle group with 12 tyres and a certified road friendly suspension system within that distance – 2.5 tonnes.

Table 2: Axle Spacing Mass Limits

1.    Stated areas or routes

1.       An eligible vehicle complying with the conditions of this notice is authorised to operate on areas and routes stated in this section.

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

1.       In this notice a reference to a network is a reference to a map or stated route pursuant to section 119(2) of the HVNL.

1.       An eligible vehicle may operate on the routes and areas provided in the following network:

Victoria’s Higher Mass Limits (HML) Network

1.       Regardless of any access granted under this section, an eligible vehicle must comply with any conditions or restrictions applied to a given area or route by the Specified Road Manager Network Requirements in the Guide.

1.       In this section:

network means a map or stated route, including a list or database, presented electronically or otherwise, that represents the stated areas and stated routes authorised under this notice.

1.       An eligible vehicle operating on an area or route specified in a schedule must comply with any of the following conditions prescribed for that area or route:

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