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There are many steps invoved in operating a heavy vehicle safely and legally in Western Australia.
Heavy Vehicle operations are strictly regulated because of their size and potential to be dangerous.
- Ensure drivers licence is the correct class (LR, MR, HR, HC or MC) (DoT Licensing Services)
- ABN registration to perform business
- Update vehicle registration details with Department of Transport (DoT's Owner-Drivers Guide)
- Know the regulations governing the use of RAVs
- Ensure vehicle ratings are suitable
- GCM (Gross Combination Mass)
- GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass)
- ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass)
- Tyre ratings
- Axle ratings
- Obtain Main Roads' Heavy Vehicle Accreditation
- Apply for permit with Main Roads
Permits are required to operate RAVs in WA and are an instrument issued by the Commissioner of Main Roads Western Australia to grant access to these vehicles to certain parts of the road network under specific operating conditions.
A permit is required when a load exceeds the following dimensions and weight:
A permit is also required when towing more than one trailer.
Heavy Vehicle Operations Updates provide industry with notification or temporary or permant changes to the road network, such as permit conditions, roadworks, changes in road conditions and emergency detours.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are aware of any changes to the network via HVO Updates.
When Heavy Vehicle pages are updated, an email is sent to you notifying you of changes. You can subscribe to this system by using the online registration form.
A vehicle is classed as Restricted Access Vehicle (RAV) if that vehicle alone or together with any load, exceeds one or more of the following limits:
- mass limit prescribed in Part 3 of the Road Traffic (Vehicle Standards) Regulations 2002; or
- one of the following dimension limits:
- a width of 2.5 metres;
- a height of 4.3 metres;
- a length of 12.5 metres in the case of a motor vehicle that is not part of a combination; or
- a length of 19 metres in the case of a combination;
- any other dimension specified in the:
- Any vehicle that is not a Restricted Access Vehicle (RAV). For example, rigid trucks and semi trailers.
- These vehicles generally do not require any permits or exemptions from regulatory requirements.
HVO's management of heavy vehicles is based on the Road Traffic (Vehicle Standards) Rules 2002 and the Road Traffic (Vehicle Standards) Regulations 2002 (VSR).
Vehicles are known by some common names such as road train, long vehicle, B-double etc. When categorising vehicles, HVO is gradually moving away from this naming convention towards the VSR terminology. Particular vehicles may still be referred to using these names, but permits and vehicle categories in the future will no longer be referred to this way.
Main Roads Heavy Vehicle Classes
Rules
All vehicles must abide by regulation mass limits and regulation dimension limits. Vehicles outside these limits must be operated under a valid permit or notice, or in some instances of extra mass, be part of a concessional loading scheme.
To see what the typical regulation mass limits are for some common heavy vehicles, refer to Mass Limits of Typical Heavy Vehicles Poster - Oct 2005 (1 page PDF 122 KB).
Long vehicle and road train signs: