Chain of Responsibility (CoR) in Victoria | HVNL Changes Explained

The most fundamental change is a move from incident-based prosecution for CoR breaches to a requirement that all parties in the chain must, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure the safety of their transport activities. This means prosecution for breaches of duty of care under the HVNL can take place regardless of whether an incident has occurred.

The obligation is proactive — it is about what you did to manage risk, not what went wrong.

Under the HVNL, the safety of transport activities relating to a heavy vehicle is the shared responsibility of each party in the chain, and a duty may not be transferred to another person. A party's responsibility extends to the extent they have the capacity to influence and control the matter — or would have had that capacity but for an agreement or arrangement purporting to limit or remove it.

For a deeper look at how shared duty works across the supply chain, read Chain of Responsibilities: What Australian HVNL Duty Holders Need to Understand.

Executives of parties within the chain can be prosecuted if their organisation — or an individual within it — fails to exercise appropriate due diligence. This mirrors the executive due diligence duties found in Work Health and Safety legislation.

The HVNL changes also introduced three categories of breaches, with maximum penalties ranging significantly:

• Category 3 — up to $50,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation.
• Category 2 — up to $150,000 for an individual and $1,500,000 for a corporation.
• Category 1 — up to $300,000 and/or five years' jail for an individual, and $3,000,000 for a corporation.

These penalty levels bring CoR enforcement in line with WHS consequences, making executive awareness and Chain of Responsibility training for executives and managers essential rather than optional.

Because the HVNL responsibilities and penalties for duty of care breaches have been modelled on WHS law, many Chain of Responsibility and WHS management systems can be aligned or integrated. For transport businesses running both systems separately, this presents an opportunity to streamline.

However, there are important differences. CoR obligations under the HVNL are not limited to a specific site or group of employees — they extend to the supply chain party and the supply chain itself.

Why a simple document merge is rarely enough

This broader reach means a simple merge of documents is rarely sufficient; the integration needs to reflect how the transport task actually works. If you need a structured review of your current position, CoR consulting can help identify where the gaps are.

Vehicle standards

All parties in the chain are now responsible for adhering to standards related to roadworthiness, construction, and design for the vehicles within their supply chain. This includes maintaining a maintenance regime for all heavy vehicles, undertaken by a qualified mechanic and aligned with the manufacturer's service intervals and maintenance processes.

Industry codes

Industry codes must now be more compliance-focused to be accepted for registration by the NHVR. Registered codes can play an evidentiary role in court proceedings when determining whether duty of care has been complied with. While compliance with a code is not a standalone defence, it can be used to test reasonable practicability in circumstances relevant to the code.

For operators preparing for upcoming regulatory changes, the HVNL 2026 changes and CoR training readiness guide outlines what to expect next.

While Chain of Responsibility in Victoria is now the regulatory responsibility of the NHVR, VicRoads has produced a series of maps to help drivers comply with HVNL requirements. These maps outline curfews, height clearances, and required permits, helping drivers determine which roads they are permitted to use based on the time of day, vehicle mass, and dimensions.

VicRoads has also made map data available so companies can add it to their GPS systems or interrogate routes further. Drivers should note that this information covers freeways, highways, and main roads only — local councils must be consulted for information on local roads.

How MAEZ can help

MAEZ helps Australian transport businesses turn CoR, HVNL, WHS, and NHVAS obligations into practical training, advisory, audit, and implementation pathways. If you need help applying these changes to your operation, contact MAEZ for a practical review of your controls, evidence, training, and SMS gaps. You can also explore Chain of Responsibility training options for your team.