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Heavy Vehicle National Law Act 2012
sec.522Power to order presentation of heavy vehicles for inspection
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### sec.522 Power to order presentation of heavy vehicles for inspection
An authorised officer may, by notice under subsection (2) , require to be produced for inspection at a place and time stated in the notice, a heavy vehicle—
that the officer reasonably believes has within the preceding 60 days been used or will be used on a road if the officer reasonably believes that—
the driver of the vehicle has not complied with this Law in driving a heavy vehicle of that kind; or
the vehicle does not comply with this Law; or
the vehicle is a defective heavy vehicle as defined in section 525 ; or
without limiting paragraph (a) , for the purpose of deciding if a vehicle defect notice for the vehicle can be cleared under section 530 .
An authorised officer may, by notice under subsection (2) , require to be produced for inspection at a place and time stated in the notice, vehicles in a category of heavy vehicles that the officer reasonably believes have within the preceding 60 days been used or will be used on a road if the officer reasonably believes that—
the vehicles in that category do not comply with this Law; or
the vehicles in that category are defective heavy vehicles as defined in section 525 .
A notice must be served on—
the person in charge of the heavy vehicle or category of heavy vehicles; or
the registered operator or, if the heavy vehicle or category of heavy vehicles is not registered, an owner.
If a notice has been served on a person under this section—
the person may, not later than 24 hours before the time stated in the notice, request an authorised officer to change the place or time of inspection or both; and
subject to paragraph (c) , the authorised officer must—
consider the request; and
vary the notice by changing the place or time; and
notify the person of the change; and
the authorised officer may refuse the request if the officer considers—
there may be a safety risk in acceding to the request; or
the request is made for an improper reason; or
it is otherwise not reasonable to vary the notice.
An inspection may include any tests an authorised officer decides to be appropriate.
A person must not fail to produce a heavy vehicle for inspection—
subject to paragraph (b) , at the place and time stated in the notice served on the person; or
if the notice has been varied under this section, at the place and time stated in the notice as varied.
Maximum penalty—$6000.
An authorised officer may act under subsection (1A) only if—
for an authorised officer who is a police officer—the officer has the relevant police commissioner’s written authority to act under subsection (1A) ; or
for an authorised officer who is not a police officer—the officer’s instrument of appointment provides that the authorised officer may act under subsection (1A) .
sch s 522 sub 2013 No. 4 s 12
amd 2018 No. 10 s 26 ; 2018 No. 18 s 20
amd 2025 No. 26 s 118 (uncommenced amendment)
(sec.522-ssec.1) An authorised officer may, by notice under subsection (2) , require to be produced for inspection at a place and time stated in the notice, a heavy vehicle— that the officer reasonably believes has within the preceding 60 days been used or will be used on a road if the officer reasonably believes that— the driver of the vehicle has not complied with this Law in driving a heavy vehicle of that kind; or the vehicle does not comply with this Law; or the vehicle is a defective heavy vehicle as defined in section 525 ; or without limiting paragraph (a) , for the purpose of deciding if a vehicle defect notice for the vehicle can be cleared under section 530 .
(sec.522-ssec.1A) An authorised officer may, by notice under subsection (2) , require to be produced for inspection at a place and time stated in the notice, vehicles in a category of heavy vehicles that the officer reasonably believes have within the preceding 60 days been used or will be used on a road if the officer reasonably believes that— the vehicles in that category do not comply with this Law; or the vehicles in that category are defective heavy vehicles as defined in section 525 .
(sec.522-ssec.2) A notice must be served on— the person in charge of the heavy vehicle or category of heavy vehicles; or the registered operator or, if the heavy vehicle or category of heavy vehicles is not registered, an owner.
(sec.522-ssec.3) If a notice has been served on a person under this section— the person may, not later than 24 hours before the time stated in the notice, request an authorised officer to change the place or time of inspection or both; and subject to paragraph (c) , the authorised officer must— consider the request; and vary the notice by changing the place or time; and notify the person of the change; and the authorised officer may refuse the request if the officer considers— there may be a safety risk in acceding to the request; or the request is made for an improper reason; or it is otherwise not reasonable to vary the notice.
(sec.522-ssec.4) An inspection may include any tests an authorised officer decides to be appropriate.
(sec.522-ssec.5) A person must not fail to produce a heavy vehicle for inspection— subject to paragraph (b) , at the place and time stated in the notice served on the person; or if the notice has been varied under this section, at the place and time stated in the notice as varied. Maximum penalty—$6000.
(sec.522-ssec.6) An authorised officer may act under subsection (1A) only if— for an authorised officer who is a police officer—the officer has the relevant police commissioner’s written authority to act under subsection (1A) ; or for an authorised officer who is not a police officer—the officer’s instrument of appointment provides that the authorised officer may act under subsection (1A) .
- (a) that the officer reasonably believes has within the preceding 60 days been used or will be used on a road if the officer reasonably believes that— (i) the driver of the vehicle has not complied with this Law in driving a heavy vehicle of that kind; or (ii) the vehicle does not comply with this Law; or (iii) the vehicle is a defective heavy vehicle as defined in section 525 ; or
- (i) the driver of the vehicle has not complied with this Law in driving a heavy vehicle of that kind; or
- (ii) the vehicle does not comply with this Law; or
- (iii) the vehicle is a defective heavy vehicle as defined in section 525 ; or
- (b) without limiting paragraph (a) , for the purpose of deciding if a vehicle defect notice for the vehicle can be cleared under section 530 .
- (i) the driver of the vehicle has not complied with this Law in driving a heavy vehicle of that kind; or
- (ii) the vehicle does not comply with this Law; or
- (iii) the vehicle is a defective heavy vehicle as defined in section 525 ; or
- (a) the vehicles in that category do not comply with this Law; or
- (b) the vehicles in that category are defective heavy vehicles as defined in section 525 .
- (a) the person in charge of the heavy vehicle or category of heavy vehicles; or
- (b) the registered operator or, if the heavy vehicle or category of heavy vehicles is not registered, an owner.
- (a) the person may, not later than 24 hours before the time stated in the notice, request an authorised officer to change the place or time of inspection or both; and
- (b) subject to paragraph (c) , the authorised officer must— (i) consider the request; and (ii) vary the notice by changing the place or time; and (iii) notify the person of the change; and
- (i) consider the request; and
- (ii) vary the notice by changing the place or time; and
- (iii) notify the person of the change; and
- (c) the authorised officer may refuse the request if the officer considers— (i) there may be a safety risk in acceding to the request; or (ii) the request is made for an improper reason; or (iii) it is otherwise not reasonable to vary the notice.
- (i) there may be a safety risk in acceding to the request; or
- (ii) the request is made for an improper reason; or
- (iii) it is otherwise not reasonable to vary the notice.
- (i) consider the request; and
- (ii) vary the notice by changing the place or time; and
- (iii) notify the person of the change; and
- (i) there may be a safety risk in acceding to the request; or
- (ii) the request is made for an improper reason; or
- (iii) it is otherwise not reasonable to vary the notice.
- (a) subject to paragraph (b) , at the place and time stated in the notice served on the person; or
- (b) if the notice has been varied under this section, at the place and time stated in the notice as varied.
- (a) for an authorised officer who is a police officer—the officer has the relevant police commissioner’s written authority to act under subsection (1A) ; or
- (b) for an authorised officer who is not a police officer—the officer’s instrument of appointment provides that the authorised officer may act under subsection (1A) .