The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has released its 2025-26 Christmas and New Year travel restrictions for Class 1 oversize and over-mass vehicles. The advisory, published on 21 December, sets out state-by-state curfews and permitting-office closures between 22 December 2025 and 4 January 2026.
Under the rules, operators in New South Wales face limited service on 22–24 December and a complete suspension of permit processing from Christmas Day through 4 January. Victoria will maintain limited services but close completely on public holidays, while Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania each impose partial shutdowns for most of the period.
Logistics managers handling corporate relocations, large project cargo or mobile machinery moves must schedule transit outside restricted dates or obtain exemptions well in advance. Failure to comply can result in hefty on-the-spot fines and the seizure of vehicles.
![Heavy-Vehicle Holiday Restrictions Published for All States Ahead of Christmas Logistics Peak]()
At the same time, ensuring that international drivers, rigging specialists or transferees hold the correct visas is equally vital. VisaHQ offers rapid, tech-enabled visa processing for Australia—covering temporary work, business and dependent permits—so project teams can synchronise immigration approvals with the NHVR’s operational windows. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/australia/.
For multinationals relocating staff, the restrictions could delay the transport of household goods that require oversize vehicles. Mobility teams should liaise with relocation providers to avoid demurrage and storage costs.
The NHVR recommends that drivers use its Journey Planner app to confirm route-specific constraints and to monitor real-time road-weather alerts, given forecasts of severe storms across eastern Australia in the coming week.
Under the rules, operators in New South Wales face limited service on 22–24 December and a complete suspension of permit processing from Christmas Day through 4 January. Victoria will maintain limited services but close completely on public holidays, while Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania each impose partial shutdowns for most of the period.
Logistics managers handling corporate relocations, large project cargo or mobile machinery moves must schedule transit outside restricted dates or obtain exemptions well in advance. Failure to comply can result in hefty on-the-spot fines and the seizure of vehicles.
At the same time, ensuring that international drivers, rigging specialists or transferees hold the correct visas is equally vital. VisaHQ offers rapid, tech-enabled visa processing for Australia—covering temporary work, business and dependent permits—so project teams can synchronise immigration approvals with the NHVR’s operational windows. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/australia/.
For multinationals relocating staff, the restrictions could delay the transport of household goods that require oversize vehicles. Mobility teams should liaise with relocation providers to avoid demurrage and storage costs.
The NHVR recommends that drivers use its Journey Planner app to confirm route-specific constraints and to monitor real-time road-weather alerts, given forecasts of severe storms across eastern Australia in the coming week.
