Load restraint guides for light and heavy vehicles

The Load Restraint Guide for Heavy Vehicles 2018 is now owned by the NHVR. Learn more and purchase hard copies of the guide for heavy vehicles on the NHVR website. 

The NTC retains ownership of the Load Restraint Guide for light vehicles. 

When you transport any kind of load, your vehicle or trailer must be loaded safely.  Your load must not endanger other road users, you or your passengers or damage road infrastructure.

This means ensuring that your load:

• is properly restrained
• doesn’t overhang dangerously
• doesn’t exceed mass limits
• doesn’t cover lights, indicators, reflectors or the number plate.

Across Australia, it’s illegal drive a vehicle carrying or towing a load without a load restraint system that meets relevant performance standards.
 

Laws for Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory refer to the Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles (2018). In these jurisdictions, you must comply with the performance standards on page 19 of the guide.

Read the 2018 Load Restraint Guide for Light Vehicles

In Western Australia and the Northern Territory, the performance standards in the 2004 Load Restraint Guide apply. These can be found on page 186 of that guide.

Read the 2004 Load Restraint Guide

The advice on how to restrain your load in the above guides are only suggestions. You may choose to meet the performance standards another way. What’s important is meeting the relevant standards.

For general enquiries about load restraint for light vehicles, you can contact us. For more specific questions, use the contact information below.

The Heavy Vehicle National Law applies in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. Performance standards for load restraint are in Schedule 7 (pages 97–99) of the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation.

The Load Restraint Guide 2018 includes guidance on how you may meet these performance standards. The NHVR owns this document and provides more information on the NHVR website.

Read more about the 2018 Load Restraint Guide on the NHVR website

For Western Australia, the loading requirements are in the Road Traffic (Vehicles) Regulations 2014. The regulations reference the 2004 Load Restraint Guide.

For the Northern Territory, loading requirements are in the Traffic Regulations. As such, the performance standards on page 186 of the 2004 Load Restraint Guide apply. 

Read the 2004 Load Restraint Guide

If you’ve read the relevant guidance material and you’re still unsure how to meet the performance standards, consult someone who: 

• is a chartered professional mechanical engineer
• is a full member of Engineers Australia or Registered Professional Engineers Queensland, and
• has an understanding of heavy vehicle design and a detailed knowledge of load restraint requirements.

For questions about load restraint for heavy vehicles in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, you can also visit the NHVR website or phone 1300 696 487

For Western Australia please contact Main Roads WA Heavy Vehicles Services on 138 486.

For the Northern Territory please contact the Northern Territory Government on 1300 654 628 or +61 (0)8 8999 5511.