A heavy vehicle licence lets you drive trucks and buses over 4.5 tonnes GVM in Australia. There are five classes, from Light Rigid (LR) up to Multi Combination (MC), and you work your way up them one step at a time. Each class needs a minimum time on the licence below it.
Licences are issued by each state and territory, not by a national body. The classes and the basic steps are the same everywhere, though, so once you understand them, the process in your state is easy to follow. This guide covers what each class lets you drive, who’s eligible, the steps to get or upgrade your licence, and what’s different in each state.
Heavy vehicle licence classes at a glance
| Class | What you can drive | You must have held |
| LR (Light Rigid) | Rigid trucks over 4.5 t and up to 8 t GVM, and buses over 4.5 t GVM up to 8 t, or carrying more than 12 adults including the driver | A car (C) licence for 1 year |
| MR (Medium Rigid) | Rigid trucks and buses with 2 axles over 8 t GVM | A car (C) licence for 1 year |
| HR (Heavy Rigid) | Rigid trucks and buses with 3 or more axles over 8 t GVM, and articulated buses | A car (C) licence for 2 years, or an LR or MR licence for 1 year |
| HC (Heavy Combination) | Prime movers towing a single semi-trailer, and rigid trucks towing a trailer over 9 t GVM | An MR or HR licence for 1 year |
| MC (Multi Combination) | B-doubles and road trains | An HR or HC licence for 1 year |
Each class also covers everything in the classes below it. With LR, MR and HR, you can also tow a trailer of up to 9 t GVM.
WA adds an extra rule for the top two classes. You also need to have held a car licence for at least 3 years before you can get an HC or MC licence.
What licence do I need to drive a truck?
It depends on the truck’s weight, number of axles and whether it’s towing. A few common examples:
- A small delivery truck or a 7 t rigid: LR
- A 2-axle rigid truck, like a standard tipper or curtainsider: MR
- A 3-axle rigid truck, like a big tipper, concrete agitator or garbage truck: HR
- A semi-trailer (prime mover and one trailer): HC
- A B-double or road train: MC
If you’re not sure, check the GVM and axles on the truck’s compliance plate, or ask the operator which class they need. Most employers list the licence class in the job ad.
How to get a heavy vehicle licence
The steps are much the same in every state:
- Check you’re eligible. Make sure you’ve held the licence below for long enough (see the table above). Time on a learner licence doesn’t count.
- Pass the heavy vehicle knowledge test. This is a computer-based theory test on road rules and heavy vehicle safety, done at your state’s licensing centre.
- Pass an eyesight test and meet the medical standards. Tell your licensing authority about any medical condition that could affect your driving.
- Do your training and practical assessment. Most people do this with a registered training provider, through a competency-based assessment. In some states you can also sit a driving test with the licensing authority.
- Apply and pay at your licensing centre to get the new class added to your licence.
The gearbox you train in matters. If you pass your assessment in an automatic or synchromesh truck, your licence will usually carry a condition limiting you to those gearboxes. To drive trucks with a constant mesh (crash) gearbox, you’ll need to be assessed in one.
Heavy vehicle licence rules by state
The classes and holding times above apply across Australia. What changes from state to state is who runs the tests, how you book them and a few extra rules.
| State | Licensing authority | Worth knowing |
| NSW | Transport for NSW and Service NSW | Most upgrades are done through a Heavy Vehicle Competency Based Assessment (HVCBA) with an approved provider. MC is done through the HVCBA |
| QLD | Department of Transport and Main Roads | TMR doesn’t run practical tests for MC. You upgrade through an approved training provider instead |
| VIC | Department of Transport and Planning (VicRoads) | Upgrades combine a knowledge test with training and assessment by a registered provider |
| WA | Department of Transport | HC and MC also need a car licence held for at least 3 years, and HC isn’t available on a provisional licence |
| SA | Department for Infrastructure and Transport | You apply through mySA GOV, with a knowledge test and practical assessment |
| TAS | Department of State Growth | Training and assessment with an accredited heavy vehicle instructor |
| ACT | Access Canberra | A knowledge test, then a practical assessment with an approved assessor |
| NT | Motor Vehicle Registry | A theory test, then a practical assessment with an accredited assessor |
For the full process in your state, see our guide to the truck licence in QLD, or go to your state’s official page: NSW, QLD, VIC, WA, SA, ACT or NT.
Truck license or truck licence?
Both spellings get searched, but in Australia it’s licence for the card (a noun) and license for the verb, as in “you’re licensed to drive”. Government sites, employers and job ads all use “heavy vehicle licence”. So if you’re searching for a truck license in Australia, you’re looking for the same thing.
What happens after you get your licence?
Your heavy vehicle licence gets you in the door. The next steps are experience and building up through the classes. Most drivers start on rigid trucks, then step up to HC and MC as they gain time and confidence. Each step up opens better-paid work. Our guide to truck driver salary in Australia shows what each licence class typically earns.
Once you’re driving, you’ll also need to know the work and rest hours rules, and when you need a work diary. It’s also worth reading up on the day-to-day responsibilities of a truck driver.
Frequently asked questions
What licence do I need to drive a truck?
It depends on the truck. Small rigid trucks up to 8 t GVM need an LR licence. Two-axle rigids over 8 t need MR, three-axle rigids need HR, semi-trailers need HC, and B-doubles and road trains need MC.
How long does it take to get an HR licence?
You need to have held a car licence for 2 years, or an LR or MR licence for 1 year. Once you’re eligible, the training and assessment can often be done in a few days, depending on the provider and how much driving experience you already have.
Can I go straight to HC?
No. To get an HC heavy vehicle licence, you must have held an MR or HR licence for at least 1 year. In WA, you also need to have held your car licence for at least 3 years.
Is it a truck license or a truck licence?
In Australia it’s “licence”. “License” is the US spelling, and in Australian English it’s only used as a verb. Both mean the same heavy vehicle licence.
Can I use an overseas truck licence in Australia?
It depends on your visa, the country your licence is from, and your state. Most overseas drivers need to convert to an Australian heavy vehicle licence, often through testing. Our guide to international licence conversion in Australia explains the process.
