Fuel Truck Licensing: What You Need to Know

Key Takeaways

• Diesel-only trucks: diesel is currently not a dangerous good for road transport in Australia, so a diesel-only truck doesn't need a DG driver or vehicle licence. The driver still needs the right heavy vehicle licence.

• Petrol, ULP or avgas: carrying these (or diesel in the same tank vehicle as them) brings in DG rules once a tank exceeds 500 litres. That means a DG driver licence, a DG vehicle licence and a tank design approval.

• Change coming: a rewritten ADG Code is targeted to begin 2027. The National Transport Commission has said diesel will be brought into Class 3, but transition rules haven't been finalised.

• If you're buying a tanker to keep for years: ask whether the tank can be DG-approved to AS 2809. In NSW that also requires a chassis with a vehicle stability function.

• Licence class depends on axles: a two-axle truck over 8 tonnes GVM needs an MR licence. Three or more axles needs HR.

Quick answer: which licences apply to your fuel truck?

The last row is a planning expectation, not current law. The sections below explain why.

Why diesel is treated differently (for now)

Australia's transport code separates flammable liquids from combustible ones by flash point. Diesel with a flash point above 60°C that isn't transported above that temperature is not subject to the ADG Code; it is normally a C1 combustible liquid, which is not a dangerous good for transport. Edition 7.9 is the current ADG Code, and it became mandatory from 1 October 2025.

That exemption covers transport only. For storage and handling, diesel is a GHS Category 4 flammable liquid and a hazardous chemical under the WHS Regulation. Your site, depot and refuelling procedures still carry obligations.

There's also a catch for mixed loads. When a C1 combustible liquid sits in one or more compartments of a tank vehicle carrying other refined petroleum products, it has to be taken into account in applying the Code. A dual-product truck carrying diesel alongside petrol is a dangerous goods vehicle.

What applies once you carry petrol or other Class 3 fuels

Both the vehicle and the driver generally need a licence when dangerous goods are carried in a receptacle over 500 litres, and a vehicle carrying dangerous goods in a bulk tank also needs a design approval. In practice that means:

• DG driver licence, with the medical and training requirements set by your state regulator.

• DG vehicle licence for each truck. Conditions vary by state. In Western Australia, for example, applicants must hold at least $5 million in public liability insurance to transport a placard load.

• Tank design approval to AS 2809. Regulators assess the tank against AS 2809.1 (general requirements) and AS 2809.2 (flammable liquids). The NSW EPA states it won't approve a tanker design that lacks a vehicle stability function meeting the current edition of ADR 35/06.

• Placards, emergency information and equipment as specified in the ADG Code.

The 2027 ADG Code change and why it matters if you're buying now

The National Transport Commission is rewriting the ADG Code around Europe's ADR framework. In its review FAQs, the NTC said the evidence supports regulating diesel as a Class 3 flammable liquid, and that UN 1202 in the new code will be expanded to cover diesel with a flash point of 60 to 93°C.

On timing, the new code has been submitted to transport ministers, with a target commencement of 2027 after an earlier October 2026 target slipped. Transition arrangements from the current code had not been finalised as of April 2026, and each state and territory still needs to pass enabling legislation.

A fuel truck bought in 2026 will likely still be working years after the new code starts. If you're buying now:

• Ask the builder whether the tank is designed to AS 2809.1 and 2809.2, and whether it could receive a DG design approval later. Retrofitting a non-compliant tank can be costly or impossible.

• Check the chassis has an electronic stability function if the truck will run on public roads.

• Budget for DG driver licences and allow training lead time for your operators.

• Treat any "no DG licence needed" sales claim as time-limited. It's accurate for diesel today, but it may not be for the life of the truck.

This matters most for trucks that travel on public roads between depots and sites. Trucks that stay entirely within a mine lease are governed mainly by site and mining safety rules, but confirm the position with your regulator.

Heavy vehicle licence: MR or HR?

The truck's axle count and gross vehicle mass set the licence class. An MR licence covers rigid vehicles with two axles and a GVM over 8 tonnes, and an HR licence covers rigid vehicles with three or more axles and a GVM over 8 tonnes. Most two-axle fuel trucks up to about 6,000-8,000 litres fall under MR. Bogie-drive 6x4 and 8x4 tankers need HR. Check your operators' licences before choosing a configuration, because licensing affects who can drive the truck.

Other compliance to plan for

• Trade measurement. Selling fuel by the litre requires a meter verified for trade use.

• Site rules. Mines and major civil projects set their own vehicle standards (ROPS, monitoring, emergency stops, fire equipment) on top of legal minimums.

• Storage and handling. Parking a loaded fuel truck at a depot and refuelling plant are WHS activities with their own risk controls.

Compliance questions to put to suppliers

1. Which Australian Standards is the tank designed to, and does it carry a design approval number?

2. Can this tank be approved for Class 3 fuels if diesel is reclassified?

3. Does the chassis have a stability function compliant with ADR 35/06?

4. Is the metering system pattern-approved and verified for trade?

5. What licence class will my drivers need for this configuration?

Compare quotes from fuel tanker truck suppliers and put these questions to each one. The answers are often more revealing than the price.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a dangerous goods licence to drive a diesel fuel truck?

Not under the current ADG Code, provided the load is diesel only. You still need the correct heavy vehicle licence, and this may change when the new ADG Code commences.

Do I need DG placards on a diesel-only tanker?

Not under the current transport rules. Some sites require their own signage, so check your site standard.

Can I carry petrol and diesel in the same tanker?

Yes, in separate compartments of an approved tank vehicle. The whole vehicle is then subject to dangerous goods rules, including the diesel compartments.