Heavy vehicle compliance software for Australian operators
Chain of Responsibility evidence, maintenance and inspection records, and an audit trail for operators under the Heavy Vehicle National Law — built to the current rules and correctly scoped to the jurisdictions where they apply.
Complys Vehicle Compliance is launching in Australia.
What heavy-vehicle compliance covers
A heavy vehicle — broadly, one over 4.5 tonnes — brings a set of duties under the Heavy Vehicle National Law: a primary duty to ensure safety so far as reasonably practicable, keeping the vehicle roadworthy to the vehicle standards, managing fatigue, and staying within mass, dimension and loading limits. Complys keeps the records and evidence that sit behind all of it, so you can manage and demonstrate compliance rather than reconstruct it after the fact.
Which jurisdictions this applies in
The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) applies in the six participating jurisdictions — the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria — and is administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).
Western Australia and the Northern Territory are not part of the HVNL. WA regulates heavy vehicles under its own Road Traffic legislation through Main Roads WA (with its own accreditation scheme, WAHVA); the NT regulates through its Motor Vehicle Registry and NT WorkSafe.
Being registered in WA or the NT does not put an operator entirely outside the HVNL: operating a heavy vehicle interstate into a participating jurisdiction can bring HVNL requirements into play. Complys is built to be jurisdiction-aware so the requirements shown match where a vehicle actually operates.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Mass, dimension and loading — the 1 August 2026 changes
From 1 August 2026 the HVNL’s mass, dimension and loading rules changed, and it’s important to state the change accurately. General mass limits increased, so some operators no longer need accreditation to access weights that previously required Concessional Mass Limits. Accreditation still matters, though — for Higher Mass Limits, Performance-Based Standards vehicles, and certain notices and schemes. General-access length also increased, with some combinations now able to operate up to 20 metres subject to conditions.
Because these rules are new, any older figures are out of date. We keep this content dated and written to the current position, and a mass-management records module is planned to align with it.
Accreditation is changing — HVA and Safety Management Systems
From 1 August 2026, new accreditation moves to the Heavy Vehicle Accreditation (HVA) framework. The former National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS) has not simply been abolished — existing NHVAS accreditations can continue under transitional arrangements. Accreditation remains voluntary; the underlying safety, roadworthiness, fatigue and mass duties apply whether or not you’re accredited.
The direction of travel is toward whole-of-business, evidence-based safety assurance and Safety Management Systems, rather than individual modules — which is exactly the kind of connected evidence (vehicles, maintenance, inspections, defects, records and audit trail) Complys is built to hold.
Fatigue, maintenance and defects
Fatigue laws apply to fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles. Drivers can operate under Standard Hours, or under accredited Basic or Advanced Fatigue Management for more flexible arrangements, and must keep a work diary when working more than 100 km from base. The exact work-and-rest limits are set by the NHVR — always work to the current published limits.
On maintenance, operators keep daily-check, fault, repair and servicing records (a three-year retention applies under maintenance accreditation and is good practice for all). Defects are recorded and, where serious, a vehicle is placed in a Do Not Use state until rectified — mirroring the minor/major defect-notice distinction used on the road.
How to read these requirements
Complys keeps the distinction clear between what the law requires, what regulators guide, what accreditation or insurers require, and what’s your own policy — so nothing is over-stated as a legal duty.
Heavy Vehicle National Law and the Vehicle Standards regulation (HVNL states). Inspections use the National Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual.
Chain of Responsibility under the HVNL. WA has its own CoR under WA law; the NT relies on WHS duties.
Set by the NHVR for fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles in the HVNL states. Always work to the current published limits.
Accreditation is voluntary. The underlying safety, roadworthiness, fatigue and mass duties are mandatory whether or not you're accredited.
Record-keeping periods (for example a three-year retention) are a requirement of maintenance accreditation and good practice for all operators.
What’s ready, honestly
Complys Vehicle Compliance is launching in Australia. Here is exactly where the capabilities on this page stand — labelled at the feature level, never marketed as available before they ship.
One record per vehicle: registration, CTP, insurance, inspection dates, documents and expiry. Included in Complys Self-Drive from launch.
Digital inspections and pre-start checks with timestamped photos against each vehicle. Included in Complys Self-Drive from launch.
Scheduled servicing, maintenance history and evidence, retained against the vehicle. Included in Complys Self-Drive from launch.
Record defects and place a vehicle in a Do Not Use state until rectified. Included in Complys Self-Drive from launch.
Structured CoR evidence and assurance across parties; the records and audit trail underneath are in the first release. Being built now; arriving in the release after launch.
Work-and-rest records and electronic work diary for fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles. On the roadmap for a later release; not built yet.
Mass records and evidence aligned to the post-1-August-2026 mass rules. On the roadmap for a later release; not built yet.
Whole-of-business, evidence-based safety assurance aligned to the HVA framework. On the roadmap for a later release; not built yet.
Sources
- • About the NHVR — participating jurisdictions
- • Heavy Vehicle National Law and Regulations
- • Chain of Responsibility — the primary duty
- • Fatigue management
- • Mass, dimension and loading
- • Vehicle standards and modifications
- • Main Roads WA — Heavy Vehicle Services (non-HVNL jurisdiction)
Last reviewed: 21 September 2026. This page describes current Australian requirements in general terms and is not legal advice; check the primary sources above and the rules for your jurisdiction.
Heavy vehicle compliance — FAQs
Where does the Heavy Vehicle National Law apply?
In the six participating jurisdictions — the ACT, NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria — administered by the NHVR. Western Australia and the Northern Territory are not part of the HVNL and run their own regimes. Note that a WA- or NT-registered vehicle can still become subject to the HVNL when it operates interstate into a participating jurisdiction.
Does Complys make my business HVNL-compliant?
No — it keeps and organises the records and evidence so you can manage and demonstrate compliance. Meeting the primary duty, roadworthiness, fatigue and mass obligations remains the operator's responsibility. Complys isn't approved or accredited by the NHVR; it makes doing the work, and evidencing it, considerably easier.
How does it handle the August 2026 changes?
The HVNL's mass, dimension and loading rules changed on 1 August 2026, and accreditation moved to the new Heavy Vehicle Accreditation (HVA) framework. We keep this content dated and written to the current position rather than to older figures, and we don't describe the former NHVAS as simply abolished — existing accreditations can continue under transitional arrangements.
Do you handle fatigue and mass records?
Fatigue (electronic work diary) and mass management record-keeping are planned modules, labelled as such. The core vehicle records, inspections, maintenance, defects, evidence and audit trail — which most heavy-vehicle record-keeping rests on — are in the first release.
What about Chain of Responsibility?
Chain of Responsibility is part of the HVNL and has its own page. In short, everyone in the transport chain shares a primary duty for safety, and executives owe a due-diligence duty. Complys keeps the evidence that supports it.
Can it record defects and stop a vehicle being used?
Yes. A serious defect can place a vehicle in a Do Not Use state with the reason, source and timestamp recorded, so it's clear the vehicle shouldn't operate until rectified and cleared.
Explore Complys vehicle compliance
The hub — fleet, heavy-vehicle and rental compliance in one platform.
Evidence your primary duty across every party in the chain.
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Run car and vehicle hire with Australian identity and condition evidence.