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Machine Rules by State: Licence, Rego, Duty and PPSR
Pick a machine and a state. We show whether the operator needs a licence, how the machine registers for road use, whether stamp duty applies and how to run a PPSR check before you buy used. Every answer links the government page it comes from and the date we read it.
Where we haven’t confirmed a rule against its source, we say so and point you to the authority instead of guessing.
Mini excavator (under 4.5 t)
Licence to operate
No high risk work licence class covers excavators, so the operator doesn’t need one. Safe Work Australia, checked
Anyone working on a construction site also needs a white card (general construction induction), recognised Australia-wide. Safe Work Australia, checked
Road registration
Choose a state or territory to see this answer.
Stamp duty when you register it
Choose a state or territory to see this answer.
PPSR check before you buy used
A search shows whether someone else has registered a security interest over the machine — a financier who can repossess it after you have paid the seller — and whether it has been reported stolen or written off. It does not tell you what is owed, and it is not a valuation. PPSR (AFSA), checked
Our guidance Tracked excavators sit right on the boundary of the motor-vehicle test, so do not rely on a serial search alone. Run both searches — by serial or chassis number, and against the seller.
Searching the Personal Property Securities Register · Case study: buying heavy construction equipment privately
Recalls
Search ACCC Product Safety Australia for the make and model before you buy.
General information only, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, so check with the regulator before you operate, register or buy a machine.
Who needs a licence to operate
High risk work licences are national classes; each state’s regulator issues them. This is the answer for each machine everywhere in Australia, with the state differences below it.
| Machine | Licence |
|---|---|
| Mini excavator (under 4.5 t) | No high risk work licence class covers excavators, so the operator doesn’t need one. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Excavator (4.5 t and over) | No high risk work licence class covers excavators, so the operator doesn’t need one. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Skid steer or posi-track | No high risk work licence class covers skid steers, so the operator doesn’t need one. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Backhoe loader | No high risk work licence class covers backhoe loaders, so the operator doesn’t need one. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Wheel loader | No high risk work licence class covers wheel loaders, so the operator doesn’t need one. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Roller | No high risk work licence class covers rollers, so the operator doesn’t need one. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Dozer | No high risk work licence class covers dozers, so the operator doesn’t need one. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Grader | No high risk work licence class covers graders, so the operator doesn’t need one. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Dump truck (off-road) | No high risk work licence class covers off-road dump trucks, so the operator doesn’t need one. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Telehandler | Telehandlers have no licence class of their own. Whether the operator needs one depends on the attachment fitted and the state. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Forklift | Operating a forklift needs a high risk work licence, class LF. An order-picking forklift needs class LO instead, and an LF licence doesn’t cover it. SafeWork NSW, checked |
| Scissor lift | No high risk work licence class covers scissor lifts, at any height. The boom lift licence applies only to boom-type platforms. Safe Work Australia, checked |
| Boom lift (boom under 11 m) | A boom lift with a boom shorter than 11 metres needs no high risk work licence. Class WP starts at 11 metres. SafeWork NSW, checked Boom length is the longer of the platform’s greatest height above the ground and its greatest reach out from the centre of the boom’s rotation, so check both before assuming a machine is under the line. SafeWork NSW, checked |
| Boom lift (boom 11 m or more) | Operating a boom lift with a boom of 11 metres or more needs a high risk work licence, class WP. SafeWork NSW, checked Boom length is the longer of the platform’s greatest height above the ground and its greatest reach out from the centre of the boom’s rotation, so check both before assuming a machine is under the line. SafeWork NSW, checked |
Telehandlers, state by state
| State | Telehandler licence rules |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | Not yet verified Check with WorkSafe ACT. |
| New South Wales | In New South Wales, a telehandler with forks or a bucket needs no high risk work licence, though the business must make sure the operator is trained. SafeWork NSW, checked Rigged as a crane (a boom or jib with a hoist rope or hook block), a non-slewing telehandler rated over 3 tonnes needs class CN, and a slewing telehandler needs class C2, C6, C1 or C0 for its rated capacity. SafeWork NSW, checked With a personnel box controlled from the box and a boom of 11 metres or more, it needs class WP. SafeWork NSW, checked |
| Northern Territory | NT WorkSafe sets out the rules by attachment: no licence with forks or a bucket, class CN when a non-slewing machine rated over 3 tonnes is rigged as a crane, a slewing crane class if it slews, and class WP with a work platform boom over 11 metres. NT WorkSafe, checked |
| Queensland | Not yet verified Check with WorkSafe Queensland. |
| South Australia | Not yet verified Check with SA Government. |
| Tasmania | WorkSafe Tasmania sets out the rules by attachment: no licence with forks or a bucket, class CN when a non-slewing machine rated over 3 tonnes is rigged as a crane, a slewing crane class if it slews, and class WP with a work platform boom over 11 metres. WorkSafe Tasmania, checked |
| Victoria | In Victoria, anyone operating a non-slewing telehandler rated over 3 tonnes needs a licence, whatever the attachment: WorkSafe Victoria’s non-slewing telehandler licence, or a mobile crane licence (CN, C2, C6, C1 or C0). Rated 3 tonnes or less, no licence is needed, but the operator must be trained and competent. WorkSafe Victoria, checked |
| Western Australia | Not yet verified Check with WA Government. |
Where to apply for a licence
| State | Licensing regulator |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | WorkSafe ACT handles high risk work licensing in the ACT. WorkSafe ACT, checked |
| New South Wales | SafeWork NSW issues high risk work licences in New South Wales. SafeWork NSW, checked |
| Northern Territory | NT WorkSafe issues high risk work licences in the Northern Territory. NT WorkSafe, checked |
| Queensland | WorkSafe Queensland handles high risk work licence applications in Queensland. WorkSafe Queensland, checked |
| South Australia | In South Australia, apply for the licence through the SA Government’s high risk work licence service. SA Government, checked |
| Tasmania | WorkSafe Tasmania handles high risk work licensing in Tasmania. WorkSafe Tasmania, checked |
| Victoria | WorkSafe Victoria issues high risk work licences in Victoria. WorkSafe Victoria, checked |
| Western Australia | In Western Australia, apply for the licence through the WA Government’s high risk work licensing service. WA Government, checked |
You apply to your local regulator, and the licence is generally valid across Australia. Safe Work Australia, checked
Anyone working on a construction site also needs a white card (general construction induction), recognised Australia-wide. Safe Work Australia, checked
Registering plant for road use, state by state
Most plant doesn’t meet the standards for full registration, so it uses a conditional, restricted-use or special purpose scheme with limits on where and when it can travel.
| State | How plant registers |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | Plant that needs road access gets conditional registration after a roadworthy inspection and evidence that no standard vehicle can do the task. Access Canberra’s examples include bulldozers and road construction vehicles working on a road within a defined work area, and forklifts in car parks or shopping centres. Access Canberra, checked |
| New South Wales | A machine built on a truck chassis needs full registration. Other plant may need conditional or full registration: Transport for NSW’s vehicle sheets list the machines that qualify for conditional registration, and you apply at a Service NSW centre. Service NSW, checked |
| Northern Territory | Plant used for work such as earthworks, loading or roadside maintenance can be conditionally registered. It needs a rotating amber beacon on public streets and may be limited by speed, area and transfer. Over 4.5 tonnes GVM it can register as a special purpose vehicle. NT Government, checked |
| Queensland | A machine used only on private property doesn’t need registration. If it goes on a road, including car parks and footpaths, it must be conditionally registered and follow the conditions set for its type, which gives it limited road access and CTP insurance. Queensland Government, checked |
| South Australia | Plant registers as a special purpose vehicle under conditional registration, using form MR1A at a Service SA centre, for any 3-month period up to 36 months. An assessment sets its conditions, such as daylight travel only, speed or distance limits, or warning signs. SA Government, checked |
| Tasmania | A machine that needs public streets but doesn’t meet vehicle standards can get conditional (restricted use) registration, unless a compliant vehicle could do the job. Transport Services Tasmania, checked Plant over 4.5 tonnes (GVM or MRC) can register as a Type P special purpose vehicle instead, which gets WV plates; at 4.5 tonnes or less it can’t. Transport Services Tasmania, checked |
| Victoria | Machinery that doesn’t meet vehicle standards can be conditionally registered if you belong to an approved operator group, using VicRoads’ Machinery registration pack. Its conditions, such as speed limits, hours, routes or an escort, are listed on a Certificate of Approved Operations you carry in the machine. VicRoads won’t approve it if a standard registered vehicle could do the job. VicRoads, checked |
| Western Australia | A machine that needs only very limited access to public roads can be licensed as a B or C class vehicle, with conditions that strictly limit its road use. It must be inspected, and most machines also need a written application explaining how they move between sites. Transport WA, checked |
Rules that name particular machines
Queensland
- Mini excavator (under 4.5 t)
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has a “Loader/Mini excavator (rubber track)” information sheet for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Excavator (4.5 t and over)
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has “Excavator (track)” and “Excavator (wheel)” information sheets for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Skid steer or posi-track
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has a “Loader skid steer” information sheet for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Backhoe loader
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has a “Backhoe loader” information sheet for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Wheel loader
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has “Loader (wheel)” information sheets for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Roller
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has roller information sheets (multi-tyred, padfoot drum and smooth drum) for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Dozer
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has a “Dozer (crawler or loader)” information sheet for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Grader
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has “Grader” information sheets for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Dump truck (off-road)
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has articulated and mining or construction truck information sheets for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Telehandler
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has a “Forklift (all terrain, telescopic)” information sheet for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Forklift
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has yard forklift information sheets (cushion and solid rubber tyres) for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
- Scissor lift, Boom lift (boom under 11 m), Boom lift (boom 11 m or more)
Queensland’s non-complying vehicle catalogue has a “Mobile aerial work platform” information sheet for this machine, setting the conditions it registers under. Queensland Government, checked
South Australia
- Excavator (4.5 t and over), Backhoe loader, Wheel loader, Dozer, Grader, Forklift
Over 4,500 kg unladen, South Australia names this kind of machine as a Type P (plant based) heavy special purpose vehicle. SA Government, checked
Tasmania
- Backhoe loader, Wheel loader, Dozer, Grader, Telehandler
Tasmania names this kind of machine as a Type P special purpose vehicle example. Transport Services Tasmania, checked
Western Australia
- Skid steer or posi-track
Skid steer loaders and bobcats are approved for the B and C class concession automatically. Transport WA, checked
- Mini excavator (under 4.5 t), Excavator (4.5 t and over)
Excavators are eligible for the B and C class concession, after an inspection and a written application. Transport WA, checked
- Roller
Steel-drum road rollers are eligible for the B and C class concession; multi-tyre rollers are not. Transport WA, checked
- Grader, Dozer, Forklift
Graders, bulldozers and forklifts are not eligible for the B and C class concession. Transport WA, checked
- Wheel loader
Front-end loaders narrower than 3.1 metres are not eligible for the B and C class concession. Transport WA, checked
Stamp duty on conditionally registered plant
Duty is charged when a machine is registered or its registration changes hands, and the answer differs in every state.
| State | Duty |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | Not yet verified Check with Access Canberra. |
| New South Wales | Not yet verified Check with Revenue NSW. Worth correcting: A widely repeated claim is that New South Wales caps heavy-vehicle duty at $12,000. That cap belongs to Western Australia, not New South Wales — check the Revenue NSW figure for your own purchase rather than the one the broker sites quote. WA Department of Treasury and Finance, checked |
| Northern Territory | Not yet verified Check with NT Motor Vehicle Registry. |
| Queensland | A flat $25 applies to conditionally registered “special vehicles”, which Queensland lists as including forklifts, tractors and graders — the same amount whether the machine is light or heavy, regardless of its value. Queensland Government, checked |
| South Australia | Exempt. Vehicles conditionally registered under section 25 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1959 are exempt from stamp duty on an application to register or to transfer registration; documentary evidence is given to Service SA. RevenueSA, checked |
| Tasmania | Qualifying special-purpose plant such as excavators and loaders is listed as exempt from motor tax and vehicle duty (excluding MAIB duty). This does not remove registration or MAIB charges. The separate C-plate conditional-registration category, including mobile cranes, is not exempt. Transport Services Tasmania, checked |
| Victoria | Qualifying mobile plant under 4.5 tonnes MRC and heavier Type P vehicles built mainly for off-road work can be exempt. Registration class and permitted road use matter; confirm eligibility with VicRoads or the State Revenue Office. State Revenue Office Victoria, checked |
| Western Australia | Heavy vehicles over 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle mass attract 3% of dutiable value, capped at $12,000 — the cap biting once value reaches $400,000. Concessions may reduce this further for eligible plant, so confirm your machine’s class. WA Department of Treasury and Finance, checked |
Western Australia, by machine
- Mini excavator (under 4.5 t), Excavator (4.5 t and over), Skid steer or posi-track, Roller
If it’s approved as a B or C class vehicle, it pays no vehicle licence duty and no licence fee. Transport WA, checked
- Grader, Dozer, Forklift, Wheel loader
Without the B and C class concession, duty applies at the normal rates. Transport WA, checked
- All machines
Machines with a gross mass of 4.5 tonnes or less pay WA’s light-vehicle rates instead: 2.75% of dutiable value up to $25,000, rising on a sliding scale to 6.5% above $50,000. WA Department of Treasury and Finance, checked
PPSR check before you buy used
A search shows whether someone else has registered a security interest over the machine — a financier who can repossess it after you have paid the seller — and whether it has been reported stolen or written off. It does not tell you what is owed, and it is not a valuation. PPSR (AFSA), checked
| Machine | Search by | Our guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Mini excavator (under 4.5 t) | Serial number and the seller | Tracked excavators sit right on the boundary of the motor-vehicle test, so do not rely on a serial search alone. |
| Excavator (4.5 t and over) | Serial number and the seller | Tracked excavators sit right on the boundary of the motor-vehicle test, so do not rely on a serial search alone. |
| Skid steer or posi-track | The seller | Skid steers commonly fall outside the register’s motor-vehicle definition, so searching the seller is the check that counts. |
| Backhoe loader | Serial number | Backhoes are built to drive between sites at road speeds, which usually brings them inside the register’s motor-vehicle test. |
| Wheel loader | Serial number | Wheeled loaders travel at road-going speeds under their own power and generally satisfy the motor-vehicle test. |
| Roller | Serial number and the seller | Roller travel speeds vary widely by size, so whether a serial search applies depends on the individual machine. |
| Dozer | The seller | Tracked dozers travel too slowly to reliably meet the motor-vehicle test, so a clear serial search proves little. |
| Grader | Serial number | Graders are self-propelled and move at road speeds under their own power, so a serial search normally applies. |
| Dump truck (off-road) | Serial number | Articulated and rigid haulers are self-propelled at road speeds, so the serial number is normally the right search key. |
| Telehandler | Serial number | Telehandlers travel under their own power at road-going speeds, so they generally qualify for a serial search. |
| Forklift | Serial number and the seller | Forklift travel speeds straddle the threshold, and classification varies, so run both searches. |
| Scissor lift | The seller | Scissor lifts are slow-travel machines that generally fall outside the motor-vehicle definition. |
| Boom lift (boom under 11 m) | The seller | Boom lifts travel at working speeds rather than road speeds, so they generally fall outside the motor-vehicle definition. |
| Boom lift (boom 11 m or more) | The seller | Boom lifts travel at working speeds rather than road speeds, so they generally fall outside the motor-vehicle definition. |
Search on the Personal Property Securities Register, and read AFSA’s case study on buying heavy construction equipment privately. Before you buy, also search ACCC Product Safety Australia’s recalls for the make and model.
Machine Rules Questions
Which machines need a high risk work licence?
Does New South Wales cap heavy-vehicle duty at $12,000?
What does a PPSR search show on a used machine?
Sources and licences
Every answer is our own summary of the government page it links, read on the date shown. Answers are hidden 12 months after they were checked until we read the source again. No government agency endorses HeavyBook.
- Safe Work Australia: High risk work licence classes CC BY 4.0
- Safe Work Australia: Licences for high risk work CC BY 4.0
- Safe Work Australia: Working on a construction site CC BY 4.0
- SafeWork NSW: High risk work licences CC BY 4.0
- SafeWork NSW: Forklift licences CC BY 4.0
- SafeWork NSW: Hoist licences, including boom-type elevating work platforms CC BY 4.0
- SafeWork NSW: Crane and reach stacker licences CC BY 4.0
- WorkSafe Victoria: Licences and registrations Summarised and linked
- WorkSafe Victoria: Non-slewing telehandler licence Summarised and linked
- WorkSafe Queensland: Apply for a high risk work licence Summarised and linked
- WA Government: Apply for a new high risk work licence Summarised and linked
- SA Government: High risk work licence CC BY 4.0
- WorkSafe Tasmania: Classes of high risk work Summarised and linked
- NT WorkSafe: Telescopic handler operation: licence requirements Summarised and linked
- WorkSafe ACT: High risk licensing Summarised and linked
- Service NSW: Apply for a plant vehicle registration (including forklifts) Summarised and linked
- Queensland Government: Conditional registration explained CC BY 4.0
- Queensland Government: Conditional registration: construction vehicles CC BY 4.0
- SA Government: Special purpose vehicle registration CC BY 4.0
- VicRoads: Register non-compliant vehicles Summarised and linked
- Transport WA: B and C class vehicle concessions Summarised and linked
- Transport Services Tasmania: Restricted use registration Summarised and linked
- Transport Services Tasmania: Special purpose vehicle registration Summarised and linked
- NT Government: Special purpose plant and equipment vehicles Summarised and linked
- Access Canberra: Non-standard vehicle registration Summarised and linked
- WA Department of Treasury and Finance: Vehicle licence duty Summarised and linked
- PPSR (AFSA): Searching the Personal Property Securities Register Summarised and linked
- PPSR (AFSA): Case study: buying heavy construction equipment privately Summarised and linked
- ACCC Product Safety Australia: Search product recalls CC BY 4.0
- Access Canberra: Motor vehicle duty Summarised and linked
- Revenue NSW: Motor vehicle duty Summarised and linked
- NT Motor Vehicle Registry: Registration and number plates Summarised and linked
- Queensland Government: Vehicle registration duty rates CC BY 4.0
- RevenueSA: Stamp duty exemptions and relief CC BY 3.0 AU
- Transport Services Tasmania: Concession tables for vehicle types and usage Summarised and linked
- State Revenue Office Victoria: Motor vehicle duty exemptions and concessions Summarised and linked
Material from Safe Work Australia, SafeWork NSW, the Queensland Government and ACCC Product Safety Australia is used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence, and from RevenueSA under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia; all of it has been paraphrased. Source for recalls: ACCC © Commonwealth of Australia.
The Government of South Australia, Special purpose vehicle registration, sourced on , https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/driving-and-transport/registration/conditional-registration/special-purpose-vehicles. The Government of South Australia, High risk work licence, sourced on , https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/business-and-trade/licensing/building-and-trades/high-risk-work-licence.
General information only, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, so check with the regulator before you operate, register or buy a machine.