Do road transport and logistics need to comply with Heavy Vehicle Chain of Responsibility (CoR)?
A computed answer from the Rules Mate applicability engine, with the exact condition, the outcome for every structure and size, and the primary source.
Short answer: Yes
Yes. This obligation applies to road transport and logistics whatever their structure or size. The deciding fact: Industry: Road transport & logistics.
The obligation in brief
Comply with Heavy Vehicle Chain of Responsibility (CoR). Sections 26C-26D of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) impose a primary duty on each party in the supply chain (consignors, packers, loaders, schedulers, operators, drivers, consignees) to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the safety of transport activities. Mirrors WHS due diligence.
Trigger: Engaging in a heavy vehicle supply chain activity.
Why road transport & logistics get a different answer
Rules Mate runs its applicability engine across 9 business structures and 6 size bands for each of the 35 industries it maps. For 30 of those industries the answer for "Comply with Heavy Vehicle Chain of Responsibility (CoR)" is no. Road transport & logistics is one of the 5 where the answer is different: yes.
The deciding fact for road transport and logistics: Industry: Road transport & logistics.
About the industry: Heavy vehicle operators subject to Chain of Responsibility under HVNL.
Compare a professional services (general) business with 6–19 employees structured as a Pty Ltd company: the obligation does not apply (Requires industry: Road transport & logistics).
Answer by business structure and size
Each cell is the engine's outcome for a business in road transport & logistics with that structure and size, assuming it sells to consumers and small businesses and holds customer contact details. "Check" means the obligation turns on a fact the industry does not settle.
| Structure | No employees | 1–5 employees | 6–19 employees | 20–99 employees | 100–499 employees | 500+ employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sole trader | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Partnership | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trust | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pty Ltd company | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Public company | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Not-for-profit (unregistered) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Registered charity | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Super fund | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign company | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What the obligation requires
- When due
- Continuous.
- Evidence to keep
- Risk assessments, contracts allocating duties, training, monitoring records, incident reports.
- Maximum penalty
- Category 1: up to $3M (corporations), 5 years prison; Category 2 and 3 lower but substantial
- Regulator
- NHVR
- Jurisdiction
- Commonwealth (national)
Other obligations where road transport & logistics differ from the norm
Other industries with a non-default answer
Questions
- Do road transport and logistics need to comply with Heavy Vehicle Chain of Responsibility (CoR)?
- Yes. This obligation applies to road transport and logistics whatever their structure or size. The deciding fact: Industry: Road transport & logistics.
- Is the answer the same for every industry?
- No. For 30 of the 35 industries Rules Mate maps, the answer is no. Road transport & logistics is one of 5 industries with a different answer.
Related
Sources
Computed by the Rules Mate applicability engine from the published obligation corpus; facts last checked 3 October 2026. Rules Mate is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your position with the regulator source or a qualified adviser before acting.