Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV)

What is a Special Purpose Vehicle?

A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is a vehicle (other than a caravan, a mobile home, a mobile library, a mobile workshop, a mobile laboratory or a mobile billboard) where the primary purpose for which it was built, or permanently modified, was not the carriage of goods or passengers; or a forklift, straddle carrier, mobile cherry picker, or mobile crane.

Type P

A SPV built, or permanently modified, primarily for off-road use, or use on a road related area, or use on an area of road that is under construction or repair (eg agricultural tractors, self-propelled agricultural harvesters, bulldozers, backhoes, graders and front-end loaders).

Nominated Configuration Code SPP.

Number of axles

Configuration code

Any

PSV


Type T

A SPV (other than a SPV type P) built, or permanently modified, primarily for use on roads, and that has no axle or axle group loaded in excess of the axle load limits specified in the Table to the definition of SPV type O below (eg mobile cranes, fire engines, truck-mounted concrete pumps and boring plants).

Nominated Configuration Code SPT.

Number of axles

Configuration code

Any

TSV

 

Type O

A SPV (other than a SPV type P) built, or permanently modified, primarily for use on roads, and that has at least one axle or axle group loaded in excess of the axle load limits specified in the following Table (eg mobile cranes, fire engines, truck-mounted concrete pumps and boring plants).

Nominated Configuration Code SP2.

Table - Axle load limits

Type of axle or axle group

Axle load limit (tonnes)

Single axle
(a) 2 tyres

6

Single axle
(b) 2 wide profile tyres (375mm to 450mm)

6.7

Single axle
(c) 2 wide profile tyres (over 450mm)

7

Single axle
(d) 4 or more tyres (on pig trailer)

8.5

Single axle
(e) 4 or more tyres (on other vehicles)

9

Twinsteer axle groups:
(a) Non-load sharing suspensions

10

Twinsteer axle groups:
(b) Load sharing suspensions

11

Tandem axle groups:
(a) 4 tyres

11

Tandem axle groups:
(b) 4 wide profile tyres (375mm to 450mm)

13.3

Tandem axle groups:
(c) 4 wide profile tyres (over 450mm)

14

Tandem axle groups:
(d) 6 tyres

13

Tandem axle groups:
(e) 8 or more tyres (on pig trailers)

15

Tandem axle groups:
(f) 8 or more tyres (on other vehicles)

16.5

Tri-axle groups:
(a) 6, 8 or 10 tyres

15

Tri-axle groups:
(b) 6 wide profile tyres (375mm or over) on pig trailers

18

Tri-axle groups:
(c) 6 wide profile tyres (375mm or over) on other vehicles

20

Tri-axle groups:
(d) 12 or more tyres (on pig trailers)

18

Tri-axle groups:
(e) 12 or more tyres (on other vehicles)

20

Table - configuration codes

Number of axles

Configuration code

1

OSV1

2

OSV2

3

OSV3

4

OSV4

5-12

OSV5-12