DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT

Motor Vehicle Registry Information Bulletin

V13 Vehicle Dimensional Limits (Including Load)

Introduction
Maximum vehicle dimension limits in the Northern Territory (NT) are nationally consistent and are set
out in the NT Motor Vehicle (Standards) Regulations which incorporate the Australian Vehicle
Standards Rules. These vehicle dimension limits include any load placed on a vehicle.
All vehicles travelling on the road network in the NT must comply with the maximum dimensional limits
unless the vehicle is carrying a permit of exemption issued by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.
Permits of exemption may be issued in special cases for vehicles carrying indivisible loads or for non-
complying vehicles that, by design, exceed dimensional limits. Permits will generally have conditions of
operation on the vehicle (i.e. route restrictions) to enable it to safely travel on the road network.

Width and Height

The overall maximum width of a vehicle - including any load on the vehicle - is not to exceed 2.5m.
This excludes lights, mirrors, reflectors, central tyre inflation systems and signalling devices.

2.5m
4.3m

Note:

1 Vehicles with a GVM over 3.5t may have mirrors that project up to 230mm
beyond the widest part of the vehicle providing they can fold down to
150mm.

2 Maximum vehicle height including any load is 4.3m.

3 Vehicles designed and built to carry livestock may be up to 4.6m.

4 Vehicles designed and built to carry motor vehicles, on more than 1 deck,
may be loaded up to 4.6m.

5 Double-deck buses may be up to 4.4m.

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Projecting Loads and Equipment

Loads and equipment carried on vehicles may project to the front, rear and sides of a vehicle providing
the projection does not exceed the maximum dimensions shown below.

Any projection must be contained within the maximum overall vehicle dimensional limits
(i.e. must not exceed maximum vehicle overall length or width).

Overall Width
(maximum)
12.5m (Rigid vehicles) 2.5m

Bill's Truck MK III

Load Load

1.2m (iii)

Wheelbase (i) , (ii) 150mm

Rear overhang line

(iii)

1.2m Max Wheelbase (i) , (ii)

Rear overhang line

(i) Rear overhang is measured from the centre of the rear axle or axle group to the extreme
rear of the vehicle including any load on the vehicle.
(ii) Rear overhang must not exceed the lesser of 60% of the wheelbase or 3.7m. Rear
overhang on loaded car carrier trailers, carrying vehicles on more than one deck, may be
up to 4.9m, and is measured from the rear overhang line to the rear of the rearmost
vehicle carried on the trailer.
(iii) Projecting load to the rear - if a load projects more than 1.2m from the rear of a vehicle,
it must carry a warning signal attached to the rear of the load.
In daylight, a warning signal is a brightly coloured flag with sides at least 300mm long.
At night, a warning signal is a red light that can be seen from a distance of at least
200m.
Note:
1 A load on a vehicle is not to project in a way that is dangerous to a person or to property,
even if all dimension and warning requirements, as detailed above, are met.
2 Any projection must be contained within the maximum overall width of 2.5m.

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Length
The following diagrams show the maximum vehicle length for various vehicles and vehicle
combinations.
All maximum length dimensions include any load carried on the vehicle.

Rigid Vehicles

Bill's Truck MK III

12.5m 12.5m

Note: Controlled Access Bus may be up to 14.5m

Articulated Bus

18.0m

Articulated Vehicle
19.0m

Bill's Truck.

Truck and Dog Trailer

19.0m

Bill's Truck MK II

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 MVR Information Bulletin V13

Truck and Pig Trailer

19.0m

Bill's Truck MK III

B-Double
Definition: A combination consisting of a prime mover towing two semi-trailers.

Note: For livestock the two trailers must not have more than 18.8m of their
combined length available for the carriage of animals.

kingpin location

Bill's Truck.

20.6m maximum

Road Train
Definition: A combination consisting of a prime mover or rigid vehicle towing at least two
trailers that is not a B-Double (a converter dolly supporting a semi trailer is
deemed to be a single trailer).

Bill's Truck MK II

53.5m

Bill's Truck.

53.5m

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 MVR Information Bulletin V13

Car Carrier
Definition: A vehicle combination - not being a road train - designed to carry vehicles on
two or more partly or completely overlapping decks.
4.6m

Bill's Truck.

Must not exceed

60% of (a) or
3.7m, whichever
(a) is the lesser.

4.9m
25.0m

Pig Trailer
Definition: A trailer with one axle group or single axle near the middle of its load
carrying surface, and connected to the towing vehicle by a drawbar.

Drawbar Length and Rear Overhang not to exceed 12.2m Width up to 2.5m

Rear Overhang
Forward Load Space (FLS) lesser of FLS or 3.7m

Height
up to 4.3m

TRAILER

Drawbar Length up to 8.5m

Rear Overhang Line

Note:

1 Rear Overhang must not exceed Forward Load Space (FLS) or 3.7m –
whichever is the lesser.

2 Drawbar length, Forward Load Space (FLS) and Rear Overhang must be
measured from the rear overhang line.

3 Drawbar length is measured from the point of articulation on the tow coupling.

4 Overall length, including load and equipment, not to exceed 12.5m

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Semi Trailer
Definition: A trailer that has:
(a) 1 axle group or single axle to the rear; and
(b) a means of attachment to a prime mover that results in
some of the load being imposed on the prime mover.

12.3m Maximum

9.5m Maximum

Point of Articulation
Rear overhang line

(i) Any projection (ii) Rear overhang

forward of the point 1.9m Radius (i) must not exceed
of articulation must 60% of (a) or
not exceed 1.9m 3.7m, whichever
(a) (ii) is the lesser

Dog Trailer
Definition: A trailer (including a trailer consisting of a semi trailer and converter dolly)
that has:
(a) one axle group or single axle at the front that is steered by
connection to the towing vehicle by a draw bar: and
(b) one axle group or single axle at the rear.

12.3m Maximum

9.5m Maximum

 Drawbar length (b)

must not exceed
Point of Articulation
5.0m
 If the trailer is used
Rear Overhang Line
(ii) Rear overhang
in a road train, must not exceed
drawbar length
60% of (a) or
must not be less 3.7m, whichever
than 3.0m is the lesser
(b) (a) (ii)

Contact Details
Motor Vehicle Registry
Telephone 1300 654 628
Facsimile (08) 8999 3103
Email mvr@nt.gov.au
Web www.mvr.nt.gov.au
Postal Address GPO Box 530 Darwin NT 0801

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