Road Vehicle Standards (Information on the Register of Approved Vehicles) Determination 2021
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Note 2: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018, including the following:
(a) 1958 Agreement;
(b) RAV.
(1) In this instrument:
‘added by’ number, in relation to a vehicle, means the identification number assigned by the Departmental administration system known as ‘ROVER’, to the person who submits the vehicle for entry on the RAV.
‘authorised by’ name, in relation to a vehicle, means the name of the person who:
(a) is authorised under section 9 of the Rules to enter information in relation to the vehicle on the RAV; and
(b) enters that information on the RAV.
Note: The holder of an AVV approval may enter information in relation to a vehicle on the RAV in certain cases. AVV approvals may only be granted to corporations. Where information in relation to a vehicle is entered on the RAV by the holder of an AVV approval, the ‘authorised by’ name is the name of the corporation.
‘authorised by’ number, in relation to a vehicle, means the Authorised Entity Number assigned by the Departmental administration system known as ‘ROVER’, to the person who:
(a) is authorised under section 9 of the Rules to enter information in relation to the vehicle on the RAV; and
(b) enters that information on the RAV.
B‑Double capable, in relation to a heavy goods vehicle (NC), means that the vehicle:
(a) is designed to operate in B‑Double configuration; and
(b) complies with the applicable requirements of Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 64/00—Heavy Goods Vehicles Designed for Use in Road Trains and B‑Doubles) 2006, as in force at the date on which the road vehicle type approval or concessional RAV entry approval that applies to the vehicle was granted.
build date means:
(a) for an older vehicle—the date mentioned in subsection 36(2) of the Rules; and
(b) for any other vehicle—the date on which the vehicle was substantially completed;
expressed in the format mm/yyyy.
carbon dioxide emissions, in relation to a vehicle, means the number of grams of carbon dioxide emissions (in grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre) calculated in accordance with a national road vehicle standard that applies to the vehicle.
entry pathway sub‑category: see section 6.
make means the vehicle make specified in the road vehicle type approval or concessional RAV entry approval that applies to the vehicle.
Note: manufacturer means, in relation to vehicles entered on the RAV via the type approval pathway:
the holder of a road vehicle type approval that applies to the vehicle; or
a person authorised, in writing, by the holder of such an approval to enter vehicles on the RAV under the approval.
maximum engine power means the maximum value of net power at full engine load.
maximum overall width, in relation to a Safer Freight Vehicle, means the manufacturer’s nominal value for the overall width, plus upper (positive) manufacturing tolerance, of a vehicle of that design variant.
maximum permissible overall width, in relation to a Safer Freight Vehicle, means the highest value for the overall width of a vehicle of that design variant that is permissible under the road vehicle type approval or concessional RAV entry approval that applies to the vehicle.
model means the vehicle model specified in the road vehicle type approval or concessional RAV entry approval that applies to the vehicle.
NVES vehicle type means:
in relation to a vehicle to which one of the following expressions, as defined
in the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard Act 2024, applies—whichever of the expressions applies to the vehicle:
(i) type 1 vehicle;
(ii) type 2 vehicle;
(iii) exempt vehicle; or
(b) in relation to any other vehicle—the words ‘not applicable’.
older vehicle means a road vehicle to which subsection 36(1) of the Rules applies.
rated towing capacity, in relation to an MC category vehicle, means the maximum towing mass as specified by the vehicle’s manufacturer.
Regulation 85 means the technical requirements of the United Nations Regulation No. 85—UNIFORM PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE APPROVAL OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES OR ELECTRIC DRIVE TRAINS INTENDED FOR THE PROPULSION OF MOTOR VEHICLES OF CATEGORIES M AND N WITH REGARD TO THE MEASUREMENT OF NET POWER AND THE MAXIMUM 30 MINUTES POWER OF ELECTRIC DRIVE TRAINS, as in existence from time to time.
Note: The United Nations Regulations could, in 2021, be viewed on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe website (https://www.unece.org).
road train capable, in relation to a heavy goods vehicle (NC) or trailer, means that the vehicle:
(a) is designed for use in a road train; and
(b) complies with the applicable requirements of:
(i) Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 63/00—Trailers Designed for Use in Road Trains) 2006; or
(ii) Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 64/00—Heavy Goods Vehicles Designed for Use in Road Trains and B‑Doubles) 2006;
as in force at the date on which the road vehicle type approval or concessional RAV entry approval that applies to the vehicle was granted.
Rules means the Road Vehicle Standards Rules 2019.
Safer Freight Vehicle means any sub‑category NB2 or category NC vehicle, whether or not the vehicle has an overall width exceeding 2,500 mm at the time when it is entered on the RAV, that meets all the national road vehicle standard requirements specified in the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 43/04 – Vehicle Configuration and Dimensions) 2006, or a later version, necessary for the vehicle to exceed an overall width of 2,500 mm.
Note 1: At the time when this definition was inserted, clauses 6.1.5.2, 6.1.5.2.1, 6.1.5.2.2 and 6.1.5.2.3 of the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 43/04 – Vehicle Configuration and Dimensions) 2006 specified the requirements that must be met for a sub‑category NB2 or category NC vehicle to exceed an overall width of 2,500 mm.
Note 2: Where a range of widths may apply to a model, some national road vehicle standards will require the intended range of vehicle widths to be accounted for during testing. A vehicle may be manufactured with an overall width no greater than 2,500 mm but still be a Safer Freight Vehicle, as defined in this instrument.
Safer Freight Vehicle Identification Code, in relation to a Safer Freight Vehicle, means a string of information about the vehicle, expressed in the following format:
SFV‑XX‑Y1Y1Y1Y1‑Y2Y2Y2Y2
where:
(a) the letters ‘SFV’ are short for Safer Freight Vehicle;
(b) the letters ‘XX’ are:
(i) for a prime mover—replaced by ‘PM’;
(ii) for a chassis‑cab—replaced by ‘CC’;
(iii) for a partially completed vehicle other than a chassis‑cab—replaced by ‘IO’;
(iv) for a vehicle of any other kind—omitted;
(c) the characters ‘Y1Y1Y1Y1’ are replaced by the maximum overall width (in millimeters) of the vehicle; and
Note 1: The actual overall width of the vehicle may be less than its maximum overall width, due to manufacturing tolerances for the design. See the definition of maximum overall width.
Note 2: The maximum overall width that is entered for a vehicle should reflect the design specifications it was manufactured to, and stage of manufacture, at the time it is entered on the RAV. It should not reflect a possible or intended future stage of manufacture of the vehicle (for example, in the case of a chassis‑cab, it should not reflect the addition of a body that is to be fitted during a later stage of manufacture).
(d) the characters ‘Y2Y2Y2Y2’ are:
(i) where the maximum overall width referred to in paragraph (c) is less than the maximum permissible overall width (in millimetres) of the vehicle—replaced by that maximum permissible overall width;
(ii) otherwise—omitted.
Note 1: The maximum permissible overall width must exceed 2,500 mm. See the definition of Safer Freight Vehicle.
Note 2: There are a number of circumstances in which the maximum overall width in paragraph (c) will be less than the maximum permissible overall width, such as:
(a) where a chassis‑cab is intended to have a (wider) body fitted during a later stage of manufacture, or through modification in accordance with the NHVR Code of Practice for the Approval of Heavy Vehicle Modifications, and this increased vehicle width has been accounted for as part of the approval to relevant national road vehicle standards (see Note 3 for examples); and
(b) where a goods vehicle, which is complete at the time when it is entered on the RAV, meets all the national road vehicle standard requirements necessary to allow for an increase in the overall width of the vehicle without further approval.
Note 3: Some national road vehicle standards require variations in width to be accounted for during testing, such as:
(a) Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 14/03 – Devices for Indirect Vision) 2023, where dummy headboards may be used to simulate a range of body widths during testing; and
(b) Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 105/00 – Blind Spot Information Systems) 2023, where performance and test requirements include the prescribed distance of a test dummy from the extreme outer edge on the near side of the vehicle.
Note: Example 1: A prime mover manufactured to a maximum overall width of 2,540 mm, the maximum permissible width for which is also 2,540 mm, would have the following Safer Freight Vehicle Identification Code: SFV‑PM‑2540.
Note: In this example, the characters ‘Y2Y2Y2Y2’ are omitted because the maximum overall width of the vehicle is the same as the maximum permissible overall width.
Note: Example 2: A chassis‑cab manufactured to a maximum overall width of 2,500 mm, but which meets all the national road vehicle standard requirements necessary to allow the vehicle (when completed) to have an overall width of up to 2,550 mm, would have the following Safer Freight Vehicle Code: SFV‑CC‑2500‑2550.
Note: In this example, both the characters ‘Y1Y1Y1Y1’and ‘Y2Y2Y2Y2’ are replaced with measurements because the maximum overall width (2,500 mm) is less than the maximum permissible overall width (2,550 mm).
Note: Example 3: A rigid heavy goods vehicle manufactured to a maximum overall width of 2,480 mm as a completed vehicle with body fitted, and which meets all the national road vehicle standard requirements necessary to allow the vehicle to have an overall width of up to 2,550 mm, would have the following Safer Freight Vehicle Identification Code: SFV‑2480‑2550.
Note: In this example, the letters ‘XX’ are omitted because the vehicle is not a prime mover, chassis‑cab or partially completed vehicle other than a chassis‑cab.
(1A) In this instrument, except where subsection (2B) applies, mass in running order has the same meaning as in the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 111/00 – Advanced Emission Control for Light Vehicles) 2024, or a later version.
(1B) For a vehicle entered on the RAV as a chassis-cab with no bodywork fitted, for the purposes of this instrument, the vehicle’s mass in running order is deemed to be:
the highest mass in running order value declared in the supporting information underpinning the carbon dioxide emissions value declared for the chassis-cab by the manufacturer; or
the ‘mass in running order’ of the chassis-cab without bodywork fitted plus the average mass of the bodywork options offered for fitment to the vehicle by the vehicle’s manufacturer; or
the ‘mass in running order’ of the chassis-cab without bodywork fitted plus the maximum area of the body recommended for fitment to the vehicle by the vehicle’s manufacturer (in square metres to one decimal place) multiplied by 50kg.
(2) The following expressions have the same meaning as in the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule—Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005:
(a) B‑Double;
(b) chassis‑cab;
(c) gross combination mass;
(d) gross trailer mass;
(e) heavy goods vehicle;
(f) overall width;
(g) partially completed vehicle;
(h) prime mover;
(i) road train;
(j) seating capacity;
(k) tare mass;
(l) tare mass of an L‑Group vehicle;
(m) trailer;
(n) vehicle category code.
Note: Other expressions used in this instrument may also have the same meaning as in that vehicle standard.
(3) In this instrument, vehicle category includes a subcategory of vehicle category set out in the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule—Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005.
Note: ‘Vehicle category’ is defined in the Rules to have the same meaning as in the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule ‑ Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005, subject to certain modifications. Relevantly, it does not include a subcategory of vehicle category except where expressly stated in, or impliedly required by, road vehicle legislation.
Note: This instrument is ‘road vehicle legislation’ for the purposes of paragraph (g) of the definition of that term in section 5 of the Rules. Sections 10 and 12 of this instrument refer to various subcategories of vehicle.