Oversize and/or overmass (OSOM) vehicles and loads
A heavy vehicle is a Class 1 load-carrying vehicle:
- if it, together with its load, does not comply with a prescribed mass requirement or prescribed dimension requirement applying to it
- is carrying, or designed for the purpose of carrying, a large indivisible item.
A large indivisible item means an item that cannot be:
- divided without extreme effort, expense or risk of damage to it; and
- carried on any heavy vehicle without contravening a mass requirement or dimension requirement.
Road Access
| Notice | |
| Operator's Guide | New South Wales Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicle Operator’s Guide |
| Network | NSW Oversize Overmass Load Carrying Vehicles Network on the National Network Map |
| Permits | Apply for an access permit if your vehicle and/or load does not comply with the prescribed mass or dimension requirements or a notice. When operating under a permit, you must comply with the Additional access conditions for oversize and overmass heavy vehicles and loads. |
| State-wide curfews |
Transport Management Plan (TMP)
A TMP records your plans and procedures to safely complete an OSOM movement. A TMP is required in NSW for all OSOM movements that:
- are classified as 'High Risk' due to the vehicle/load dimensions and/or weight; and/or
- travel on a 'High Risk' route; and/or
- involve the transport of a 'Critical/Sensitive' load.
The planning and execution of a TMP ensures that these movements are carried out in a safe and responsible manner, with reduced impact on other road users and road infrastructure.
High Risk moves by dimension and/or mass
Criteria | TMP required if: | Additional information |
Length | > 40 metres on single carriageway sections; and >50 metres on dual carriageway sections | Nil |
Height | > 5.2 metres and within 200 millimetres of an overhead structure(s) including trees, overpasses and bridges) | Nil |
Rear overhang | > 7.5 metres | Note: The rear overhang criteria for 'High Risk' agricultural combinations travelling in the NSW Western Zone is > 10 metres. |
Forward projection | > 5.5 metres | Note: High risk mobile cranes are exempt from the forward projection 'High Risk' criteria as they must be enrolled in the Intelligent Access Program (IAP). |
Width | > 6.0 metres | Note: The width criteria for 'High Risk' agricultural combinations travelling in the NSW Western Zone is > 6.5 metres. |
Total combination weight | > 184.5 tonnes | Nil |
*Transport considers other factors in assessing whether an OSOM movement is classified as High Risk, including (but not limited to): time and date of movement; traffic volumes along the proposed route; speed zones along the proposed route; location; grade; terrain and road geometry; frequency of movements; and type of load.
High Risk routes
High Risk routes are listed under Limited Access Locations in the New South Wales Class 1 Load Carrying Vehicle Operator’s Guide. Additional routes may be added to the guide at any time, in response to changing road environments, traffic patterns, road infrastructure and road safety risks.
Critical/Sensitive loads
A load is classified as 'Critical/Sensitive' in NSW if it poses a:
- Health risk: Movements that have the potential to affect the immediate health and welfare of the operator, driver and public, i.e. loads with radiation, chemicals, magnets, asbestos etc.; or
- Hazardous/Environmental risk: Movements that pose a substantial or potential threat to public health or the environment, whether that be in either gas, liquid or solid form and what type of material it is - corrosive, toxic, radiation.
What is required in a TMP?
- A completed TMP cover sheet
- Vehicle and load details
- Route survey details of the proposed route(s)
- Traffic management arrangements
- Stakeholder and community consultations
- RIM approval
For more information, please refer to the:
How do I submit a TMP?
Submit your TMP in NHVR Go, with your application for an access permit.
OSOM Load Declaration
For all moves that require a TMP, the driver and the escort vehicle driver must carry a signed NSW Load Declaration that certifies the total masses and overall dimensions (height, width and length) of the loaded combination undertaking the move.
Where more than one escort vehicle driver is required for the movement, the declaration must be carried by the driver and the lead escort driver only.
Note: A NSW Load Declaration is not required for vehicles transporting agricultural equipment or machinery, travelling west of the Newell Highway.
Rail Infrastructure Manager (RIM) approval
A level crossing is defined as where a road and railway track cross at the same grade.
Written approval from the relevant RIM is required to travel over level crossings in NSW that are not displayed as approved; conditionally approved; or are restricted for access on the OSOM Network on the National Network Map.
Along a proposed OSOM route there may be level crossings with different RIMs; Transport will not provide consent to an OSOM permit application until written approval has been provided from the relevant RIM for any level crossing that is not approved on the National Network Map, for the proposed route.
If you need further information on a specific crossing, all public level crossings in NSW can be viewed via the NSW Public Level Crossing Finder, along with basic information on each level crossing.
Why do I need a RIM approval?
Rail Safety National Law (NSW) (RSNL) requires managers of railways and managers of roads to manage safety where a road and a railway intersect. These places are ‘interfaces’ and the RIM and the road manager have an agreement, on how they will manage the risks to safety.
OSOM vehicles may pose a significant increase in risk when using a level crossing. Trains take a significantly greater time and distance to stop compared to a heavy vehicle, cannot take evasive action like a heavy vehicle and in NSW may travel at speeds up to 160km/h.
Each level crossing is assessed for safety based on the type of vehicle gazetted for use of the road e.g. general access, B double, road train. OSOM vehicles may be significantly larger than the gazetted vehicle type and therefore, a level crossing safety assessment may be required. Obtaining approval from the RIM ensures they, Transport and the OSOM operator have adequate safety management in place before the OSOM vehicle enters the level crossing.
The RSNL places responsibility for safety on the RIM, Transport and operators, as users of an interface.
How do I obtain approval from the RIM?
Contact the RIM directly. Contact details are available on the NHVR website.
Note: There are private RIMs throughout NSW, with most interfaces on council managed roads. The local council may be able to provide details of these RIMs.
Pilot and Escort Requirements
In 2025, Transport for NSW standardised pilot and escort requirements for Class 1 mobile cranes, non-mobile crane special purpose vehicles and load carrying vehicles in NSW.
The benefits of alignment include:
- improved clarity for vehicle operators
- simplified compliance requirements
- provides consistency in consideration of applications
- improved access, productivity, efficiency, while maintaining safety standards on the NSW road network.
Aligned pilot and escort requirements:
Day time travel conditions
An eligible vehicle that is:
- wider than 3.5 metres or longer than 26 metres requires one pilot vehicle
- wider than 4.6 metres or longer than 30 metres requires two pilot vehicles
- wider than 5.5 metres or longer than 35 metres requires three pilot vehicles
- equal to or wider than 6 metres or equal to or longer than 45 metres requires an escort vehicle.
Night time travel conditions
An eligible vehicle that is:
- wider than 3.2 metres or longer than 26 metres requires one pilot vehicle
- wider than 3.5 metres or longer than 30 metres requires two pilot vehicles
- wider than 5.5 metres or longer than 35 metres requires three pilot vehicles
- equal to or wider than 6 metres or equal to or longer than 45 metres requires an escort vehicle.
The aligned pilot and escort requirements have been updated in all operator’s guides of Class 1 special purpose vehicles and load carrying vehicles notices.
These operator’s guides can be found on the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) on the notices and permit-based schemes webpage.
View the Alignment of pilot and escort requirements fact sheet 2025 (PDF, 240.54 KB)
Contact Details
Transport for NSW
Transport provides customers with email notifications of changes or issues that may affect the movement of OSOM loads on NSW roads. If you would like to receive email notifications, please join our mailing list.
Email spu@transport.nsw.gov.au for any other queries related to OSOM loads in NSW.
Motorway and tunnel operators
Contact details for motorway and tunnel operators are available on the NHVR website.
Rail Infrastructure Managers (RIMs)
Contact details for RIMS are available on the NHVR website.