Familiarise yourself with NSW road rules and relevant road-related penalties and offences.
Australian Road Rules
National model law that forms the basis of the road rules in each Australian state and territory. While the Australian Road Rules have no legal effect in NSW, they form the basis of the Road Rules 2014 and the NSW Government will often initiate reforms to the road rules at a national level by way of amending the Australian Road Rules.
Road Rules 2014
Provides detailed road rules applicable in NSW. The Road User Handbook covers road rules and requirements that apply to drivers and is available in multiple languages. Special versions of the Road User Handbook have been developed to provide road rule and safety guidance for specific road user classes including:
List of road-related penalties and offences in NSW
Fines and penalties are regularly updated. Visit the Judicial Commission Law Codes to search for the most up-to-date information.
Understanding new and existing road safety legislation and regulations will better help you with effectively educating your local community on the road rules, enforcement and compliance.
Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and Regulations
National law that applies to all heavy vehicles (mainly trucks and buses) with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of more than 4.5 tonnes. The HVNL applies in all states and territories except WA and NT. HVNL oversees permit issuing for heavy vehicle access like heavy plant or agricultural vehicles that local councils may operate.
Local Government Act and Regulation
The Local Government Act 1993 and the Local Government Regulation 2021 contain limited provisions relevant to roads including requirements for the authorisation of activities on roads and the regulation of vehicle usage in council car parks.
Roads Act 1993
Regulates the administration of roads generally in NSW. Sets out which authorities manager particular roads in NSW, their classification, procedures for opening, closing, modifying and permitting activities on those roads.
Road Transport Act 2013
Sets out key provisions and powers for managing safe road use. Includes requirements and offences relating to driver licensing, vehicle registration, heavy vehicles, use of cameras for enforcement and unsafe driving behaviours such as drink and drug driving and negligent driving.
Road Transport (Driving Licensing) Regulation 2017
Sets out driver licence offences. Includes demerit point penalties that apply to certain driving offences.
Road Transport (General) Regulation 2021
Outlines penalty levels for penalty notices issued for road offences. Also advises who is authorised to issue penalty notices for these offences.
We publish technical and asset management standards for transport assets across NSW so that our people and our industry partners can deliver projects and manage transport assets across NSW in a more innovative, safe, and efficient manner.
NSW Speed Zoning Standard
Sets out the principles and technical information for reviewing, determining and implementing speed zones on public roads in NSW. Learn more about this topic.
NSW Movement and Place framework
Movement and Place is a cross-government framework for planning and managing roads and streets across NSW. It includes a range of guides to support practitioners and evaluators apply a movement and place approach.
Publicly accessible policy documents
Road safety incorporated into various planning, design and management policies
Transport Standards Portal
Locate information relating to technical directions, guides, manuals, and more. Create an account so you can ‘favourite’ standards for quick access and receive new updates.