Intelligent Access Program (IAP)
From 1 August 2022, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) assumed responsibility for the administration of all NSW IAP services. For more information, see the NHVR’s Intelligent Access Program webpage. NHVR is also responsible for issuing all heavy vehicle road access permits.
About the IAP
IAP is a certified intelligent transport system recognised in law and developed in partnership between all Australian road agencies.
An in-vehicle unit is installed in an IAP enrolled vehicle by a certified IAP Service Provider. The in-vehicle unit automatically records the date, time, and position of the heavy vehicle and self declarations made via a self declaration input device attached to the in-vehicle unit. Only records of the vehicle's non-compliance with the intelligent access conditions for the vehicle combination and its associated self declarations are sent to the NHVR. Information about any non-compliant travel within NSW may form the basis of an investigation by Transport for NSW.
An On Board Mass (OBM) system approved by Transport Certification Australia (TCA) can be linked to the IAP in-vehicle unit to monitor all the axle groups in the vehicle combination and provide the mass readings of these axle groups to the IAP system.
Vehicles requiring IAP
The IAP is a road access condition in NSW for:
- Higher Mass Limits (HML) vehicles including Performance Based Standards (PBS)
- B-triples or AB-triples
- Modular B-triples operating at General Mass Limits (GML) on and east of the Newell Highway or operating at HML
- Vehicles operating under PBS Access Level 2B or above
- High risk mobile cranes.
Operators seeking to operate the above vehicles must enrol in the IAP in NSW and where applicable apply for the appropriate access permit from the NHVR to travel in NSW.
Enrol in the IAP
Where IAP is a road access condition in NSW, the vehicle must have a current NSW IAP Certificate of Enrolment showing the vehicle type of operation enrolled in the IAP. All vehicles operating under Intelligent Access Program (IAP) require a certificate of enrolment to be carried physically or electronically in the vehicle.
Please note: If the vehicle is already enrolled in the IAP in another jurisdiction, the vehicle will still be required to separately enrol in the IAP in NSW for travel in NSW.
For information on enrolling in IAP in NSW, see the NHVR's Applying for IAP enrolment webpage.
IAP network access
A number of network maps and/or lists of approved roads are available for vehicles enrolled in the IAP in NSW:
- IAP maps and approved roads lists provide details on the roads approved in NSW for:
- HML short combinations
- HML B-doubles
- HML Type 1 A-double road trains (including HML modern road trains)
- GML modular B-triples on and east of the Newell Highway
- HML modular B-triples
- GML and HML B-triples
- GML and HML AB-triples
- High risk mobile cranes.
- NSW Livestock Loading Scheme (NSWLLS) maps provide details on the roads and zones approved in NSW for HML B-triples and AB-triples under the NSWLLS carrying livestock loads.
Applying for an access permit
An access permit is required for high risk mobile cranes that cannot operate under the current:
- NSW Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicles Notice
- National Class 1 Special Purpose Vehicle Notice
- NSW Class 1 4-Axle & 5-Axle All Terrain Mobile Crane Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice
- NSW Class 1 All Terrain Mobile Crane and Dolly Combination Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice
- PBS vehicles or combinations.
Apply for an access permit from the NHVR who will coordinate access permit applications by liaising directly with road managers and issuing permits when access is granted.