(b) the EastLink Project Amendment (Prescribed Administrative Costs) Regulations 2013[2];
(c) the EastLink Project Amendment Regulations 2014[3];
(d) the EastLink Project Amendment Regulations 2016[4].
4 Definitions
In these Regulations—
Airservices Australia means the body established under section 7 of the Air Services Act 1995 of the Commonwealth;
checksum means a number produced by the application of an algorithm to the contents of a digital file (other than a checksum contained in the file);
computer means any electronic device for storing or processing information;
control unit means a computer that temporarily stores images taken by a digital toll camera unit;
Reg. 4 def. of digital file amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 5(a).
digital file means a file in a digital format that is created by a digital toll camera unit, or an electronic copy of such a file, that contains the following—
(a) a digital image;
(b) data indicating the toll zone in which the vehicle or trailer to which the image relates was driven or towed;
(c) data from which the date on and the time at which that vehicle or trailer was driven or towed in the toll zone can be calculated;
(d) the checksum for that file;
Reg. 4 def. of digital image amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 5(b).
digital image means—
(a) an image of a vehicle or part of a vehicle that has been taken and processed into a digital format by a digital toll camera unit; or
(ab) an image of a trailer or of part of a trailer attached to a vehicle that has been taken and processed into a digital format by a digital toll camera unit; or
(b) an electronic copy of an image referred to in paragraph (a) or (ab);
digital toll camera unit means any of the following devices—
(a) the device known as the Vehicle Registration Sensor: Kapsch Part Number 8633 001-415;
(b) the device known as the Vehicle Registration Sensor Controller: Kapsch Part Number 8633 001-093;
(c) the device known as the Vehicle Registration Sensor: Kapsch Part Number 8633 004-262B;
(d) the device known as the Vehicle Registration Sensor: Kapsch Part Number 340 333-400-00;
(e) the device known as the Vehicle Registration Sensor: Kapsch Part Number VRX-2400-LPI;
(f) the device known as the Vehicle Registration Sensor Controller: Kapsch Part Number 8633 005-028;
printed image means a printed image produced in accordance with the process in regulation 14;
registration number includes licence plate number;
responsible road authority has the same meaning as it has in section 3(1) of the Road Management Act 2004;
tag means any of the following devices—
(a) the vehicle transponder known as the Kapsch TS 3203/80;
(b) the vehicle transponder known as the Kapsch TS 3203/80A;
Reg. 4 def. of testing officer amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 5(c).
testing officer means—
(a) the head, or a person authorised by the head, of a faculty or department providing education or training in electrical engineering, communications engineering or electronics engineering at a university or TAFE institute within the meaning of the Educationand Training Reform Act 2006; or
(b) a person, or a member of a class of persons, approved by the Transport Secretary as being appropriately qualified to conduct tests for the purposes of these Regulations; or
(c) a testing officer of a testing facility accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia ACN 004 379 748 (NATA); or
(d) a person who—
(i) holds a Bachelor or higher degree in the field of electrical engineering, communications engineering or electronics engineering from a university within the meaning of the Educationand Training Reform Act 2006; and
(ii) is a member of the Institution of Engineers Australia; and
(iii) is approved by the President of the Victorian Division of that Institution as being appropriately qualified to conduct tests for the purposes of these Regulations;
the Act means the EastLink Project Act 2004;
Reg. 4 def. of toll message file amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 5(d).
toll message file means a digital file created by a control unit which contains data indicating—
(a) the toll zone in which the vehicle or trailer that the image relates to was driven or towed; and
(b) the date on and the time at which that vehicle or trailer was driven or towed in the toll zone; and
(c) a checksum for each digital image.
Part 2—Exemptions
5 Vehicles exempt from payment of tolls
For the purposes of section 198(2) of the Act, the following vehicles and classes of vehicle are exempt from the payment of a toll and toll administration fees—
(a) an ambulance under the control of—
(i) an ambulance service within the meaning of the Ambulance Services Act 1986; or
(ii) an ambulance service created under a law in force in another State or in a Territory of the Commonwealth that the Minister, by notice in the Government Gazette, declares to be an ambulance service to which this paragraph applies; or
(iii) the Australian Defence Force;
(b) a fire service unit under the control of—
Reg. 5(b)(i) substituted by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 6(1).
(i) Fire Rescue Victoria; or
Reg. 5(b)(ii) substituted by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 6(2).
(ii) the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action; or
(iii) the Country Fire Authority; or
(iv) the Australian Defence Force;
(c) a vehicle under the control of, or being driven by, a police officer acting in the course of duty;
(d) a vehicle under the control of, or being driven by, a member acting in the course of duty, of one of the following police forces or police services—
(i) the Australian Federal Police;
(ii) the Military, Naval or Air Force Police of the Australian Defence Force;
(iii) the police service of another State or a Territory;
(e) a vehicle under the control of the Victoria State Emergency Service Authority established under the Victoria State Emergency Service Act 2005;
(f) a vehicle under the control of the Emergency Management Commissioner (within the meaning of the Emergency Management Act 2013);
(g) a vehicle under the control of the Australian Defence Force that is being used to convey any of its members or property while on march or duty;
(h) a vehicle being used to convey a member of the Australian Army engaged in connection with emergency ordnance disposal procedures;
(i) a vehicle under the control of Airservices Australia;
Reg. 5(j) amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 6(3).
(j) without limiting paragraphs (a) to (i), a vehicle that is an emergency vehicle within the meaning of the Road Safety Road Rules 2017[5] and is being operated or used in the performance of emergency services.
Note to reg. 5(j) revoked by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 6(4).
Notes to reg. 5 inserted by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 6(5).
Notes
1 See the definition of emergency vehicle in the dictionary to the Road Safety Road Rules 2017.
2 See section 197(2) of the Act in relation to vehicles attached to trailers.
6 Vehicles exempt from registration
(1) For the purposes of section 204(9) of the Act, the body that may exempt a vehicle or class of vehicle from the requirement to be registered under Part 9 of the Act is the Freeway Corporation.
(2) An exemption referred to in subregulation (1) may be made—
(a) the same for all cases, or different for different cases or classes of case, or different for the same case or class of case for different purposes; or
(b) either unconditionally or subject to any specified conditions and either wholly or to such an extent as is specified; or
(c) so as to apply at all times or at particular times or periods of time.
Part 3—Notices for toll zones
7 Placement of notices
(1) The Freeway Corporation, with the consent of the responsible road authority, must cause a notice providing the information specified in regulation 8 to be placed on every road that connects to EastLink, before each entrance to EastLink and at a place that is adjacent to the carriageway so as to face a driver who is approaching EastLink.
(2) A notice placed on a road that connects to EastLink under subregulation (1) must be placed at a reasonable distance before each entrance to EastLink so that a driver can safely avoid entering EastLink.
(3) Nothing in this regulation prevents the Freeway Corporation, with the consent of the responsible road authority, from causing notices other than notices referred to in this regulation to be placed on any road in the vicinity of EastLink.
8 Information to be provided by notices
(1) A notice referred to in regulation 7 must indicate that the driver is approaching EastLink and that tolls will apply if a vehicle is driven on EastLink.
(2) A notice may include—
(a) information as to how a user of EastLink may register a vehicle that is driven in a toll zone; and
(b) any information that the Freeway Corporation, with the consent of the Authority, considers necessary to assist users of EastLink.
Part 4—Cancellation of acceptance of statement
9 Prescribed period for nomination rejection statement
For the purposes of section 199A(1) of the Act, the prescribed period for a person nominated in a statement as being the responsible person to give a nomination rejection statement to an authorised person is 14 days from the date on which an invoice is issued to the person nominated in the statement.
Part 5—Prescribed tolling system, tolling devices and processes
10 Prescribed tolling system
For the purposes of Part 9 of the Act, the prescribed tolling system is the tolling system installed, used and maintained in accordance with the Agreement.
11 Prescribed tolling devices
(1) For the purposes of Part 9 of the Act, a digital toll camera unit is a prescribed tolling device.
(2) For the purposes of section 206 of the Act, a tag is a prescribed tolling device.
12 Prescribed manner of use of digital toll camera unit
For the purposes of Part 9 of the Act, a digital toll camera unit is used in the prescribed manner if—
(a) it is positioned so that the digital toll camera unit takes images of the registration numbers of vehicles driven in the toll zone and transmits the images taken to a control unit; and
(b) it has been tested in the manner set out in regulation 13; and
(c) it is tested at the following times—
(i) in the case of a digital toll camera unit that has been repaired or modified, after the repairs or modifications are made and before the occasion of the digital toll camera unit's first use after the repairs or modifications; and
(ii) in any case, within a period of 24 months before the occasion of its use.
13 Prescribed manner of testing of digital toll camera unit
(1) A digital toll camera unit is tested in the prescribed manner if the testing officer who tests the unit—
(a) is satisfied that—
(i) if positioned in the manner prescribed in regulation 12(a), the digital toll camera unit takes images of the registration numbers of vehicles driven in the toll zone and transmits the images taken to a control unit; and
(ii) any maintenance or repairs carried out on the digital toll camera unit have been carried out in a satisfactory manner; and
(b) makes a full and accurate record of each digital toll camera unit tested, including—
(i) the serial number of the unit tested; and
(ii) the date on and the time at which the test was carried out; and
(iii) a statement that the unit satisfied each of the testing requirements in paragraph (a); and
(c) signs the record referred to in paragraph (b) and sets out in the record the testing officer's name and qualifications.
(2) The testing officer must, within 21 days after testing a digital toll camera unit—
(a) give the record referred to in subregulation (1)(b) to the Freeway Corporation; and
(b) give a copy of that record to the enforcement agency.
(3) The Freeway Corporation must retain a record given to it under subregulation (2)(a) for at least one year after the date on which the test was carried out.
14 Prescribed process for production of printed image
(1) For the purposes of Part 9 of the Act, an image or message is produced by a prescribed process if—
(a) a printed image is produced from a digital file created by a digital toll camera unit by the processes set out in subregulation (2); and
(b) the data contained in the digital file has been verified by a computer—
(i) recalculating the checksum for that file; and
(ii) confirming that the checksum produced by the recalculation is identical to the checksum contained in that file, or the toll message file; and
(c) the printed image contains an image derived from the digital image (with or without decompressing the digital image) and a message indicating—
Reg. 14(1)(c)(i) amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 7(1).
(i) the toll zone in which the vehicle or trailer to which the image relates was driven or towed; and
Reg. 14 (1)(c)(ii) amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 7(1).
(ii) the date on and the time at which that vehicle or trailer was driven or towed in the toll zone.
(2) A digital file is created by a digital toll camera unit if the digital toll camera unit processes the image taken by itself and used in the prescribed manner by—
(a) converting the image taken into a digital format (with or without compressing the image so taken); and
(b) generating data—
Reg. 14(2)(b)(i) amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 7(2).
(i) indicating the toll zone in which the vehicle or trailer to which the image relates was driven or towed; and
Reg. 14 (2)(b)(ii) amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 7(2).
(ii) from which the date on and the time at which that vehicle or trailer was driven or towed in the toll zone can be calculated; and
(c) calculating a checksum for the digital file; and
(d) combining into one digital file the digital image with the data referred to in paragraph (b) and the checksum referred to in paragraph (c).
Part 6—Certificates
Reg. 15 (Heading) amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 8(1).
15 Certificates as to registered operator of vehicle or trailer
(1) A certificate under section 221(1) of the Act is in the prescribed form if the certificate—
Reg. 15(1)(a) amended by S.R. Nos 149/2019 reg. 4(a), 98/2025 reg. 8(2)(a).
(a) states that it is a certificate issued by the Transport Secretary or an authorised person (as the case may be) under section 221(1) of the Act; and
Reg. 15(1)(b) amended by S.R. Nos 149/2019 reg. 4(b), 98/2025 reg. 8(2)(b).
(b) certifies that, according to the records of the Transport Secretary, on a specified date the vehicle or trailer specified in the certificate was registered under the Road Safety Act 1986 in the name of the person specified in the certificate.
(2) A certificate under section 221(3) of the Act contains the prescribed particulars if the certificate—
Reg. 15(2)(a) amended by S.R. Nos 149/2019 reg. 4(a), 98/2025 reg. 8(3)(a).
(a) states that it is a certificate issued by the Transport Secretary or an authorised person (as the case may be) under section 221(3) of the Act; and
Reg. 15(2)(b) amended by S.R. Nos 149/2019 reg. 4(b), 98/2025 reg. 8(3)(b)(i).
(b) certifies that, according to the records of the Transport Secretary, on a date specified in the certificate—
Reg. 15(2)(b)(i) amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 8(3)(b)(ii).
(i) the registration number specified in the certificate was assigned to a vehicle or trailer specified in the certificate; or
(ii) a person specified in the certificate was entitled, or last entitled, to use or possess a number plate bearing a registration number specified in the certificate.
16 Certificates issued by enforcement agency
A certificate under section 221A of the Act is in the prescribed form if the certificate—
(a) states that it is a certificate issued by the enforcement agency under section 221A of the Act; and
(b) certifies—
(i) that the matters set out in the certificate appear in, or have been calculated from, the records kept by the enforcement agency; and
(ii) that, to the knowledge and belief of the person issuing the certificate on behalf of the enforcement agency, the matters set out in the certificate are true and correct.
17 Certificates issued by Freeway Corporation
A certificate under section 222 of the Act is in the prescribed form if, in addition to any of the matters referred to in that section, the certificate—
(a) states that it is a certificate issued by the Freeway Corporation or a person authorised by the Freeway Corporation (as the case may be) under section 222 of the Act; and
(b) in the case of a certificate certifying that a printed image was produced by a prescribed process, is issued by the person who caused the printed image to be printed; and
(c) certifies that, to the knowledge and belief of the person issuing the certificate or issuing the certificate on behalf of the Freeway Corporation, the matters set out in the certificate are true and correct.
Part 7—Miscellaneous
Reg. 18 (Heading) amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 9(1).
Reg. 18 amended by S.R. No. 98/2025 reg. 9(2).
18 Prescribed administrative amount
For the purposes of section 206B(1) of the Act, the prescribed administrative amount is $40 in respect of each charge found proven.
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Endnotes
1 General information
See www.legislation.vic.gov.au for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.
The EastLink Project Regulations 2016, S.R. No. 150/2016 were made on 13 December 2016 by the Governor in Council under section 258 of the EastLink Project Act 2004, No. 39/2004 and came into operation on 13 December 2016.
The EastLink Project Regulations 2016 will sunset 10 years after the day of making on 13 December 2026 (see section 5 of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994).
INTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)
Style changes
Section 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.
References to ILA s. 39B
Sidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided regulation, rule or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subregulations, subrules or subclauses the original regulation, rule or clause becomes subregulation, subrule or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression "(1)" at the beginning of the original regulation, rule or clause.
Interpretation
As from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:
• Headings
All headings included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after
1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any heading inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.
This includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; Orders; Parts into which an Order is divided; clauses; regulations; rules; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms.
See section 36(1A)(2A)(2B).
• Examples, diagrams or notes
All examples, diagrams or notes included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Statutory Rule. See section 36(3A).
• Punctuation
All punctuation included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after
1 January 2001 forms part of that Statutory Rule. Any punctuation inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.
See section 36(3B).
• Provision numbers
All provision numbers included in a Statutory Rule form part of that Statutory Rule, whether inserted in the Statutory Rule before, on or after
1 January 2001. Provision numbers include regulation numbers, rule numbers, subregulation numbers, subrule numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).
• Location of "legislative items"
A "legislative item" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of a Statutory Rule is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.
• Other material
Any explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of a Statutory Rule. See section 36(3)(3D)(3E).
2 Table of Amendments
This publication incorporates amendments made to the EastLink Project Regulations 2016 by statutory rules, subordinate instruments and Acts.