Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)
Information regarding licensing and operation of Special Purpose Vehicles in Western Australia including associated permit costs, operating conditions and application forms.
A Special Purpose Vehicle is defined as a vehicle other than a tow truck or agricultural vehicle, built for a purpose other than carrying a load, except for water in the concrete pumps & fire trucks.
To drive a SPV on a public road in WA it must be licensed or have a DoT licensing permit (e.g. Greater than 48 Hours Permit). In some cases, SPV's may require an in principle approval or recmmendation for licensing provided by Main Roads. If the SPV exceeds the mass or dimensions prescribed in Part 8 of the Road Traffic (Vehicle) Regulations 2014, it must be operated in accordance with the relevant Main Roads Order or Permit.
If you require a permit for your SPV, you first need to register as an operator and register your SPV(s). An operator of an SPV does not need to be accredited under the WA Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme to obtain a permit for an SPV.
Single Trip and Period Permits
If the SPV falls within the requirements of the Special Purpose Vehicle State-Wide Parameters Table, it may be eligible for a 36-month State-wide SPV period permit, subject to the route restrictions specified within the Special Purpose Vehicle Standard Operating Conditions.
If your SPV falls outside of the State-wide parameters or is a plant trailer, then you must nominate the Regions and/or Local Government Areas where you would like to operate. These permits can be issued for 12 months only and may be subject to route and bridge restrictions, which will be specified on the permit.
If your SPV is not eligible to have a period permit or you need to operate the SPV on a route not covered by the current period permit, you may apply for a single trip permit. A single trip permit is route specific and must only be used for a single return journey within the valid 30-day period.
Single Trip Permit Cost: $25
Period Permit Cost: $25 for 12 months, $50 for 36 months (if eligible)
Application Forms
Provide SPV licence or DoT licensing permit with application. Please note the assessment process for a period permit may take up to four weeks to complete.
Access Restrictions
SPV's must not cross a bridges specified as a restricted bridge on the period permit. The following are standard restricted bridges which may be specified.
Operating Conditions
SPV Bridge Crossing Permit
An SPV Bridge Crossing Permit may be issued to allow an SPV to cross a bridge that is not allowed to be crossed under their current period permit. If you need to cross a restricted bridge, you must obtain an SPV Bridge Crossing Permit before commencing your trip.
Cost: $25 (valid for 1 month)
Application Form
Road Crossing Permit
A Road Crossing Period Permit allows for specified vehicles to cross a public road in a straight line only, at an approved location.
Our application process includes initially contacting the relevant road manager on your behalf to obtain their support for your application. The necessary assessment is then carried out to ensure the proposed location is safe and suitable for the proposed road crossing requirements.
We are committed to finalising all Road Crossing Period Permit applications as soon as possible. However, required assessments and approvals may be delayed for a variety of reasons, and we will maintain regular contact with stakeholders to inform them of the progress.
Cost: $25 for a 12 month period
Application Form
Provide the necessary Traffic Guidance Scheme and DoT licensing permits (for unregistered vehicles) with the permit application.