Professional Documents
Culture Documents
National Heavy
Vehicle Reform
Vehicle Operations
Heavy Vehicle
Mass, Loading
and Access
Operation of heavy vehicles in New South Vehicles must comply with the mass limit provisions set
Wales out in the Tables:
The national reforms provide for what are classified as l Mass Limits for Standard Vehicles
“general access” and “restricted access” vehicles, related l Mass Limits for Conforming Axle Groups; and
to vehicle mass, dimensions and configuration, or a l Mass Limits and Axle Spacing
combination of all three.
Mass limits for Standard Vehicles
“General access” vehicles Self Propelled Vehicles
Under the national mass and loading arrangements, Axle Configuration Total Mass limit (tonnes)
“general access” vehicles are those with unrestricted
access to the road system. Provided these vehicles are
registered and operators pay the registration charge
appropriate to the vehicle configuration, no specific
access restrictions apply and no additional permits are 6t 6t 12.0
required.
“General access” vehicles are those that do not exceed
the following limits.
Length Truck 12.5 metres
9.0 8.5
6t 16.5t 22.5
11.0 10.0
13.0 13.0
16.5 15.0
6t 15t 21.0
15.0 15.0
15.0 15.0
20.0 NA
18.0 NA
9t 16.5t 25.5 NA
Tri-axle groups
Description Axle load
limit (tonnes)
Tri-axle group on a vehicle fitted with
single tyres with section width of less
than 375 mm on all axles, or single tyres
on 1 or 2 axles and dual tyres on the
other axle or axles 15.0
Tri-axle group on a pig trailer with either
single tyres with section width of at least
375 mm, dual tyres on all axles, or a
combination of those tyres 18.0
Tri-axle group, on a vehicle other than a
pig trailer, with either single tyres with
section width of at least 375 mm, dual Distance between axles (metres) Mass limit
tyres, or a combination of those tyres 20.0 Exceeding Not exceeding (tonnes)
0 3.7 23.0
3.7 3.8 23.5
3.8 4.0 24.0
Quad-axle groups
4.0 4.2 24.5
Description Axle load
4.2 4.3 25.0
limit (tonnes)
4.3 4.5 25.5
Quad-axle group fitted with single tyres
4.5 4.7 26.0
with section width of less than 375 mm 15.0
4.7 4.8 26.5
Quad-axle group fitted with single tyres
4.8 5.0 27.0
with section width of at least 375 mm or
5.0 5.2 27.5
dual tyres 20.0
5.2 5.3 28.0
5.3 5.5 28.5
5.5 5.7 29.0
Mass Limits and Axle Spacing 5.7 5.8 29.5
Standard or conforming vehicles must at least have the 5.8 6.0 30.0
minimum axle group spacings on the table below. 6.0 6.2 30.5
6.2 6.3 31.0
Each distance in the table below refers to: 6.3 6.5 31.5
1. The distance from the centre of any single axle to the 6.5 6.7 32.0
centre of another single axle; or 6.7 6.8 32.5
2. The distance from the centre of any single axle to the 6.8 7.0 33.0
centre of the furthest axle in any axle group; or 7.0 7.2 33.5
7.2 7.3 34.0 “Restricted access” vehicles
7.3 7.5 34.5 “Restricted access” vehicles are all those vehicles or
7.5 7.7 35.0 combinations that cannot have general access to the
7.7 7.8 35.5 road system because of their size, mass or the need for
7.8 8.0 36.0 special operating conditions. Any vehicle outside the
8.0 8.2 36.5 “general access” limits above is classified as “restricted
8.2 8.3 37.0 access”, and includes:
8.3 8.5 37.5 l combination vehicles longer than 19 metres (eg B-
8.5 8.7 38.0 Doubles and Road Trains);
8.7 8.8 38.5 l vehicles more than 4.3 metres high (eg livestock
8.8 9.0 39.0 crates, loaded car carriers and other commodity
9.0 9.2 39.5 concessions);
9.2 9.3 40.0 l vehicles carrying indivisible oversize loads; and
9.3 9.5 40.5 l special purpose vehicles exceeding “general access”
9.5 9.7 41.0 mass or dimension limits (eg an SPV Type 2).
9.7 9.8 41.5 Each of these vehicle categories operates under specific
9.8 10.0 42.0 arrangements in NSW.
10.0 - 42.5
All restricted access vehicles are categorised in one of
In addition, the total loaded mass of a vehicle must not three classes, detailed below.
exceed the manufacturer’s rating, that is the Gross
Vehicle Mass (GVM) for a rigid vehicle or the Gross
Class 1
Combination Mass (GCM) for combinations, including the
l oversize and overmass vehicles
mass rating on a tyre, wheel or axle.
RTA Hunter/Northern
Tel: 1800 049 920 Fax: (02) 4323 9905
RTA Southern
Tel: (02) 4226 7007 Fax: (02) 4225 8844