How to get a heavy vehicle licence
To drive a vehicle with a gross vehicle mass greater than 4.5 tonnes, you need a Victorian heavy vehicle licence.
To get a heavy vehicle licence you need to:
- hold a current Victorian car licence
- hold or have held an Australian car licence for the minimum time or a lower heavy vehicle category for the required minimum time
- pass an eyesight test
- pass a heavy vehicle knowledge test
- pass an on-road heavy vehicle driving assessment
- pass an off-road heavy vehicle skills assessment
- complete a formal training course (heavy combination and multi-combination applicants only)
- meet national medical standards for private and commercial vehicle drivers
- pay the licence variation fee
The assessments are conducted by Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) accredited providers.
National heavy vehicle driver competency and assessment standards
The DTP has national standards for competency and assessment of heavy vehicle drivers. Heavy vehicle accredited providers apply these standards in all competency assessments.
This provides a nationally consistent approach for heavy vehicle driver licensing. This involves introducing a common set of national requirements that will be applied to the issuing of a national heavy vehicle driver licence and developing a competency and assessment framework.
The new standards enhance the safe driving of heavy vehicles by having a quality and rigorous national assessment and simplifies recognition of assessment practices throughout Australia.
The standards enhance the safe driving of heavy vehicles by having a national assessment and simplify recognition of assessment practices throughout Australia.