Overview
In the ACT, the transport of dangerous goods by road is governed by the Dangerous Goods (Road Transport) Act 2009 (the Act) and Dangerous Goods (Road Transport) Regulation 2010 (the Regulation).
The Act and Regulation are modelled on legislation developed by the National Transport Commission (NTC) which has been adopted by each State and Territory to achieve nationally consistent regulatory and operational arrangements for the transport of dangerous goods.
The Act and Regulation give effect to the 7th edition of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code (ADG 7), which is available for download or purchase from the NTC website.
Under the Act and Regulation, multiple parties have duties in relation to the transport of dangerous goods by road, including the owner, consignor, packer, loader, prime contractor and the driver.
If you carry out one or more activities in relation to the transport of dangerous goods by road, it is important that you familiarise yourself with all of your duties under the Act and Regulation.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing
Under the Regulation, both drivers and vehicles are required to be licensed.
Click here for information about applying for an ACT dangerous goods driver licence and recognition of interstate dangerous goods driver licences in the ACT.
If your vehicle is not licensed to transport dangerous goods in another State or Territory and you intend on transporting dangerous goods in the ACT in the quantities specified below, you must apply for a dangerous goods vehicle licence.
Any wheeled vehicle that is capable of being taken on the road (excluding a vehicle used on railways or tramways) and which is not a prime mover or a dolly converter must be licensed.
Complete the dangerous goods vehicle licence application form and provide the required documents and send it to WorkSafe ACT.
Note: Dangerous goods licences are required when a road vehicle is, or is intended to be, used to transport dangerous goods:
A licence is not required, when the dangerous goods are transported in intermediate bulk containers (IBC) with a capacity of up to 3000 litres, provided that they are not filled or emptied while on the vehicle.
Vehicle Placarding
Under the Regulation, vehicles used to transport dangerous goods by road may need to have placards (emergency information panels) attached, depending on the type and quantity of dangerous goods being transported. A load of dangerous goods which requires placards to be attached to the vehicle is known as a "placard load".
Click here for information to assist in determining whether a given load of dangerous goods will require the vehicle to be placarded.
For information about the requirements for the emergency information panels, including their size and positioning on the vehicle, refer to Chapter 5.3 of ADG 7.
Register of ACT Dangerous Goods Driver Licences
Under the Regulation, a register of dangerous goods driver licences issued by the ACT licensing authority must be made available for inspection by the corresponding authorities in other jurisdictions and the general public. Click here to access the current version of the register of ACT dangerous goods driver licences.
Please note that if you hold an ACT dangerous goods driver licence and you are checking when the licence is due to expire, an application for renewal of the licence should be lodged at least 4-6 weeks before the expiry date shown to allow sufficient time for the application to be processed.
Explanatory Note - Information in the Register
Only conditions which appear on a specific licence (card) are listed in the register. For conditions which apply to all ACT dangerous goods driver licences, see Part 20.3 of the Regulation.
Only restrictions which appear on a specific licence (card) are listed in the register. All ACT dangerous goods driver licences are subject to the restrictions listed below.
Licence holders should be aware that the vehicle being used to transport the dangerous goods must also be licensed as required by the Dangerous Goods (Road Transport) Regulation 2010, unless the vehicle is already licensed for use in transporting dangerous goods by road under a corresponding law (however described) of another State or Territory.
The register is usually updated at the end of each calendar month. If the status of a particular licence is shown as "Active" but the expiry date shown for that licence has already passed, the present status of the licence may be verified by contacting WorkSafe ACT by telephone on (02) 6207 3000 or by e-mail to DangerousSubstances@act.gov.au.
An ACT dangerous goods driver licence may be suspended or cancelled if the licence holder fails to comply with the requirements of the laws governing the transportation of dangerous goods by road, including any failure to comply with the laws of another State or Territory whilst operating under the licence in that State or Territory.
Register of ACT Dangerous Goods Vehicle Licences
Under the Regulation, a register of dangerous goods vehicle licences issued by the ACT licensing authority must be made available for inspection by the corresponding authorities in other jurisdictions and the general public. Refer to the list below for the details of all current ACT dangerous goods vehicle licences.