HEAVY VEHICLE NATIONAL LAW

South Australia Class 3 Grain Transport Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1)

1.       Purpose

1.       This notice grants exemptions from prescribed mass requirements for class 3 heavy vehicles that are used for the transportation of grain in South Australia.

1.       This notice revokes and replaces the South Australia Farm Gate Grain Transport Mass Exemption Notice 2025 (No.1).

1.       Authorising provision

1.       This notice is made under the following provisions of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL):

1.       Section 117 Regulator’s power to exempt a category of class 1 or 3 heavy vehicles from compliance with mass or dimension requirements.
2.       section 23 of Schedule 1 – Power to make instrument or decision includes power to amend or repeal.

1.       Title

This notice may be cited as the South Australia Class 3 Grain Transport Mass Exemption Notice 2026 (No.1).

1.       Commencement

This notice commences on 1 August 2026.

1.       Expiry

This notice expires on 31 July 2026.

1.       Definitions

1.    Unless otherwise stated, words and expressions used in this notice have the same meanings as those in the HVNL and its regulations.

1.    In this notice, definitions from the following notices apply:

1.    National Class 2 Road Train Authorisation Notice, as amended from time to time.

In this notice:

Grain receiver means the place that the grain is delivered for the purpose of measurement, grading and storage before distribution.

Certified road friendly suspension system means a suspension system certified as a road-friendly suspension system by the Vehicle Safety Standards Branch of the Commonwealth Department Infrastructure and Regional Development.

1.       Application

1.       This notice applies to a class 3 heavy vehicle that is transporting grain directly from a farm to a grain receiver.

1.       This notice applies in South Australia.
    
2.       A heavy vehicle to which this section applies and that complies with this notice is an eligible vehicle.
    
3.       Subject to subsection 3), this notice applies to a heavy vehicle or combination that is:

1.       rigid truck; or
2.       rigid truck and trailer; or
3.       prime mover towing a semitrailer; or
4.       B-double; or
5.       A-double; or
6.         B-triple (modular); or
7.       B-triple; or
8.       Rigid truck combination; or
9.         AB-triple; or
10.         BA-triple; or
11.       A-Triple; or
12.         ABB-quad; or
13.     BAB-quad. 

1.       This notice does not apply to a heavy vehicle or combination that:

1.       has a pig trailer;
2.       is fitted with tri-axle drive configuration;
3.       is fitted with an axle group with more than 3 axles;
4.       is a Performance Based Standards vehicle.

1.       This notice applies in South Australia.
    

1.       Exemption – Prescribed mass requirements

1.       An eligible vehicle is exempt from the following mass requirements prescribed in Schedule 1 of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation (MDL):

1.       section 2 - Mass limits for a single vehicle or combination
2.       section 4 - Mass limits for a single axle or axle group
3.       section 5 - Mass limits relating to axle spacing generally

1.       An exemption in 1) only applies to the extent to which conditional mass limits are provided in sections 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of this notice.
2.       To be clear, if this notice provides for more than one mass limit that may apply in the same circumstances the more restrictive mass limit applies.
3.       Regardless of any conditional masses prescribed in this notice an eligible vehicle must not exceed manufacturer mass limits as defined in section 8(8) of the MDL Regulation.

1.       Condition – Mass limits for a single vehicle or combination

1.       An eligible vehicle that belongs to a category described below must not exceed the mass limit stated for that vehicle or combination:

1.       a complying steer axle vehicle that is neither a B-double nor a road train — 46.2t
2.       a Euro VI vehicle (complying steer axle) that is not a B-double or a road train — 46.7t
3.       a Euro VI vehicle (single steer axle) that is neither a B-double nor a road train — 46.2t
4.       a Euro VI vehicle (twinsteer) consisting of a prime mover with a twinsteer axle group towing a tri-axle semitrailer — 50.4t
5.       a prime mover with a twinsteer axle group towing a tri-axle semitrailer — 49.8t
6.         any other eligible vehicle that does not fall under (a) to (e) of this subsection — 45.6t

1.       As an exception to 1), an eligible vehicle must not exceed the mass limit that is the sum of the mass limits in relation to each of its axle groups and single axles as prescribed in sections 10, 11, and 12 of this notice.

1.   Condition – Mass limits for a single steer, single axle or single axle group, or twinsteer axle group

On an eligible vehicle, the mass limit for a single steer, single axle or single axle group, or twinsteer axle group described in column 1 of Table 1 in Schedule 1 of this notice must not exceed the mass limit stated in column 2.

1.   Condition – Mass limits for a tandem axle group or tri-axle group

1.       On an eligible vehicle that is fitted without a certified road-friendly suspension system, the mass limit for a tandem axle group or tri-axle group described in column 1 of Table 1A in Schedule 1 of this notice must not exceed the mass limit stated in column 2.

1.       On an eligible vehicle that is fitted with a certified road-friendly suspension system, the mass limit for a tandem axle group or a tri-axle group described in column 1 of Table 1A in Schedule 1 of this notice must not exceed the mass limit stated in column 3.

1.   Condition – Mass limits relating to axle spacing generally

1.       For an eligible vehicle of a category described below the mass limit relating to an axle spacing stated in column 1 of the relevant Table in Schedule 1 of this notice must not exceed the mass limit stated in column 2:

1.       For an eligible vehicle that is neither a B-double nor a road train – Table 2.
2.       For an eligible vehicle that is a B-double less than 19.0m in length – Table 3A.
3.       For an eligible vehicle that is a B-double greater than 19.0m in length – Table 3B.
4.       For an eligible vehicle that is a road train – Table 4.

1.       The mass limits referred to in 1) may be increased as follows for an eligible vehicle for which a tri-axle group with dual tyres and fitted with a certified road friendly suspension system is used to calculate the axle spacing — 1.6t.

1.       The mass limits referred to in 1) a) as prescribed in Table 2 of Schedule 1 of this notice may be increased as follows:

1.       for a complying steer axle vehicle, or Euro VI vehicle (single steer axle), for which the steer axle is used to calculate the axle spacing — 0.5t.
2.       for a Euro VI vehicle (twinsteer) for which the twinsteer axle group is used to calculate the axle spacing — 0.5t.
3.       for a Euro VI vehicle (complying steer axle) for which the steer axle is used to calculate the axle spacing — 1.0t.

1.       The mass limits referred to in 1) b) and c) as prescribed in Table 3A and 3B of Schedule 1 of this notice may be increased as follows:

1.       for a complying steer axle vehicle, or Euro VI vehicle (single steer axle), for which the steer axle is used to calculate the axle spacing — 0.5t.
2.       for a Euro VI vehicle (twinsteer) for which the twinsteer axle group is used to calculate the axle spacing — 0.5t.
3.       for a Euro VI vehicle (complying steer axle) for which the steer axle is used to calculate the axle spacing — 1.0t.

1.       The mass limits referred to in 1) d) as prescribed in Table 4 of Schedule 1 of this notice may be increased as follows:

1.       for a Euro VI vehicle (twinsteer) for which the twinsteer axle group is used to calculate the axle spacing — 0.5t.
2.       for a Euro VI vehicle (complying steer axle) for which the steer axle is used to calculate the axle spacing — 0.5t.

1.   Condition – Increased mass limits for vehicles fitted with a certified road friendly suspension system

For a given axle spacing in a relevant axle spacing mass limits table in Schedule 1 of this notice, the mass of an axle group described in Column 1 of Table 1A of Schedule 1 and fitted with certified road friendly suspension system must not be more than the axle mass listed in Column 3 of that table.

Note: A ‘relevant axle spacing mass limits table’ refers to Table 2, 3A, 3B and 4 of Schedule 1 of this Notice.

1.   Condition – Alternative Compliance Accreditation (ACA) – Mass

The operator of an eligible vehicle with an axle group and axle group mass described below must hold Alternative Compliance Accreditation (ACA) – Mass, or mass management accreditation granted prior to August 1, 2026:

1.       tandem axle group fitted with dual tyres on all axles – exceeding 17.0t.
2.       tri-axle group fitted with dual tyres on all axles – exceeding 21.0t.

1.   Condition – Period of travel

Travel under this notice is only approved during the grain harvest period from October to January.

1.   Condition – Stated areas and routes

1.       An eligible vehicle complying with the conditions of this notice is authorised to operate on areas and routes stated in a schedule.

1.       For the purposes of section 119 (1)(a) of the HVNL, an area or route stated in a schedule is a stated area or route to which this notice applies.

1.       In this notice a reference to a network is a reference to a map or stated route pursuant to section 119 (2) of the HVNL.

1.       In this section:

network means a map or stated route, including a list or database, presented either electronically or otherwise, that represents the stated areas and stated routes authorised under this notice

1.       An eligible vehicle operating on an area or route specified in a schedule must comply with any of the following conditions prescribed for that area or route:

1.    Road conditions pursuant to section 160 of the HVNL; and
2.    Travel conditions pursuant to section 161 of the HVNL; and
3.     Vehicle conditions pursuant to section 162 of the HVNL.

1.       For an eligible vehicle that is fitted without a certified road-friendly suspension system and is of a category described below the eligible vehicle may access all roads and road related areas except as restricted in the Guide:

1.       A rigid truck up to 12.5m in length; or
2.       A rigid truck towing a trailer up to 19m in length; or
3.       A prime mover towing a semitrailer up to 19m in length.

1.       An eligible vehicle of a category described in column 1 of Table 1 in this section and that is fitted without a certified road-friendly suspension system may operate on the networks stated in column 2, as published by the Regulator pursuant to s119(2) of the HVNL.

1.       An eligible vehicle of a category described in column 1 of Table 2 in this section and that is fitted with a certified road-friendly suspension system may operate on the networks stated in column 2, as published by the Regulator pursuant to s119(2) of the HVNL.

1.       Regardless of any access granted under this section, an eligible vehicle must comply with any conditions or restrictions applied to a given area or route by the Specified Road Manager Network Requirements in the Guide.

Table 1 – Stated areas and routes for categories of eligible vehicles without a certified road-friendly suspension system

Note:  Commodity Routes as published in the NHVR National Network Maps are not approved for Higher Mass Limits operation.

Table 2 – Stated areas and routes for categories of eligible vehicles with a certified road-friendly suspension system

Jose Arredondo
Manager Network Access Policy
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

Schedule 1 - Axle mass tables

Table 1 – Axle mass limits table for a single steer axle, single axle or single axle group, or twinsteer axle group

Pursuant to section 10 of the notice

Table 1A – Axle mass limits table for a tandem axle group and tri-axle group

Pursuant to section 11 of the notice

Table 2 – Axle spacing mass limits table (neither B-double nor road train)

Pursuant to section 12 1) a) and 2) of the notice

Table 3A – Axle spacing mass limits table (B-double less than 19.0m in length)

Pursuant to section 12 1) b) and 3) of the notice

Table 3B – Axle spacing mass limits table (B-double greater than 19.0m in length)

Pursuant to section 12 1) c) and 3) of the notice

Table 4 – Axle spacing mass limits table (Road train)

Pursuant to section 12 1) d) and 4) of the notice