Frequently asked questions - Heavy vehicles

Before you can drive a heavy vehicle you need to have the appropriate licence for the class of vehicle. Go to the Service NSW website to find more information on licences.

Go to the nsw.gov.au or the Service NSW website to find information on registering a heavy vehicle in NSW, including renewing or cancelling your registration.

Go to the nsw.gov.au or the Service NSW website to find information on registering a heavy vehicle in NSW, including renewing or cancelling your registration.

Heavy vehicle inspections are carried out at a Heavy Vehicle Authorised Inspection Station (HVAIS) or by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), depending on the type of vehicle and its use. Your registration renewal notice tells you which inspection you need.

Go to the Inspections for Heavy Vehicles page for more information.

For detailed information about the CTP insurance scheme, visit greenslips.nsw.gov.au.

Live Traffic NSW provides real-time information about incidents and changes in traffic conditions that may affect your journey. For information on emergencies and disruptions to the network, visit www.livetraffic.com.

General Access Vehicles (GAV) comply with Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) mass and dimension requirements and have access to the road network unless the road is sign-posted otherwise. GAVs include buses, rigid trucks and B-doubles 19m in length.

Restricted Access Vehicles (RAV) exceed GAV mass and dimension requirements and have restrictions on the parts of the road network they can access. RAVs include road trains, Oversize Overmass vehicles and cranes.

Authorised heavy vehicle road network maps are published by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), through the National Network Map.

Restricted Access Vehicles with dimensions or mass over the limits stated in the relevant Notice may be eligible to obtain access to NSW roads through a permit. You can review Notices on the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) website and determine if your vehicle requires a permit to travel the route you’re seeking.

If you require a permit, you can find more information, including how to apply for a permit on the NHVR website.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) manage all permit applications for access in NSW, via the NHVR Portal. You can find more information on the NHVR website.

Prior to issuing a permit, the NHVR must obtain the consent of each relevant road manager. The HVNL (Heavy Vehicle National Law) imposes a time limit of 28 days, on road managers in deciding whether or not to give consent to access and to determine under what (if any) conditions access will be granted.

The time limit can be extended by up to six months if:

• a route assessment is required; or
• if the road manager is required to consult with a third party; or
• determines that it is necessary to consult with a local government authority (council).

To cancel an existing permit issued by the NHVR, you can apply through NHVR Go. Go to the NHVR website for instructions.

A person affected by a decision (made by the NHVR or a road manager), can ask the NHVR to review that decision (an Internal Review).

You must apply for an Internal Review in writing stating:

• your name
• the decision you want reviewed
• the grounds on which you want the decision reviewed.

You must apply for an Internal Review:

• within 28 days of being notified about the decision, or
• within 28 days after receiving a statement of reasons.

For further information on internal reviews, including how to lodge an internal review application, go to the NHVR website.

The NHVR can assist you in obtaining a login. Go to the NHVR website, for more information.

You can reset your password on the NHVR Go login screen. You can find instructions on how to reset your password on the NHVR Go help centre.

No, Transport for NSW manages access on State Roads in NSW only. Councils manage access on local roads within their Local Government Areas.

A road manager is responsible for consenting to access for restricted access vehicles on roads under their management and the conditions under which they will operate.

The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) recognises the importance of local governments being accountable for the roads they manage and sustain, as this enables government to efficiently fund and invest in infrastructure and road transport to support and grow local economies.

If you’re using the National Network Map, turn on the Road Management layer in ‘Layers and controls’ on the right-hand side of the screen.

You can also check the NSW Road Network Classification map, provided by Transport for NSW.

The National Network Map outlines restrictions on approved routes. These include roads, bridges and level crossings.

You can click on road segments, or points on the map for more information. The Layers and controls on the right hand side of the screen provide information on the icons and colours used on the map.

The NHVR provide contact details for Councils and other parties, such as energy providers, on their website.

You can contact the Transport Road Access team via email at nhvr.access.requests@transport.nsw.gov.au.

Telematics is the use of technology to transmit, store and receive data from remote objects. In NSW, heavy vehicle access is monitored using telematics to ensure that heavy vehicles operate on approved roads and structures. 

NSW specifies telematics and On Board Mass (OBM) requirements for heavy vehicles in Notices and permits. Operators and drivers are required to comply with these requirements when travelling on NSW roads.

You can find further information on telematics on the Transport Certification Australia (TCA) website, including how to apply for specific schemes, here.

You can find information on how to apply for specific schemes on the TCA website.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) enforce the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), including on-road compliance and enforcement, mass and dimension limits and the Heavy Vehicle Safety Stations program.

You can contact NHVR online, or by phone on 13 NHVR (13 64 87).

The NHVR also offer a confidential reporting line, 1800 931 785. You can find more information on this service here.

If there is an immediate danger, or safety risk, contact NSW Police on 000.

You can report it to Transport for NSW by calling 131 700 or reporting the issue online.

If the road is managed by council, Transport will pass the information on to the relevant council to assess the damage.

You can pay online with a credit card using our secure payment system (hosted by Westpac).

Alternatively, please call the contact centre on 1300 769 752.

The Transport Heavy Vehicle Access Policy outlines a strategic approach to heavy vehicle access in NSW for state, regional and local roads.

The Policy supports an efficient road freight network that is connected to our local communities and commercial hubs, and is integrated with railways, intermodal terminals, ports and airports.

You can find information on dangerous goods and how the NSW government ensures that they are transported safely on the NSW EPA website.