NHVAS accreditation to HVA: what GSA and ACA mean, and what to ask your carrier

Two people at a prime mover with a tarped trailer on a gravel roadside bay at dusk, one climbing into the cab

Accreditation is voluntary, so a carrier can haul freight without it, but if your loads rely on Higher Mass Limits, some PBS combinations, certain notices or the annual inspection exemption in Queensland and NSW, ask your carrier which scheme they are in, when their accreditation expires and whether their audit is booked.

If a carrier moves your freight at Higher Mass Limits or in a PBS combination, the date to ask about is when their NHVAS accreditation expires. By our estimate, their move to the new scheme needs to be under way at least six weeks before that date.

Here is the working. An HVA audit application has to be lodged in NHVR Go at least 28 days before the audit. The NHVR says most HVA applications are completed in under 14 days, and ACA-Fatigue may take longer. Run back to back, 28 plus 14 is 42 days. That figure is ours. It includes no time to close corrective actions, and none to find an auditor, which the NHVR expects to be in high demand.

The date matters because a lapse is immediate. Once accreditation expires, operations relying on accreditation, for example HML or PBS, cannot continue. An extension cannot be granted after expiry.

For most other freight, the change matters less than the noise around it suggests. The NHVR describes the HVA scheme as a national voluntary accreditation framework. This guide from Logistics Industry News covers three things: what replaced the old NHVAS modules, where accreditation still counts for your loads, and the questions worth putting to your carrier.

Does your freight need an accredited carrier?

Your load

1Will it run at Higher Mass Limits (HML)?
Yes
Carrier needs ACA-Mass
No
2Is it moving in a PBS combination?
Yes
Check the Vehicle Approval: some PBS combinations need ACA-Mass, some need GSA-MAP
No
3Does it run under a notice that requires ACA-Mass?
Yes
Carrier needs ACA-Mass
No
4Do the trucks rely on the annual inspection exemption in Queensland or NSW?
Yes
Carrier needs GSA-MAP

All no

Accreditation not required for this load. Running at CML weights no longer needs accreditation.

HVA accreditation is voluntary; it is required only for certain notices, schemes and exemptions.

Source: NHVR, about the HVA scheme, HVA scheme tiers

Usually not. The NHVR presents accreditation as a way for operators to show customers and supply chain partners a commitment to safety. It is required only for certain notices, schemes and exemptions:

Higher Mass Limits (HML)
Performance Based Standards (PBS) combinations
some notices
the annual inspection exemption in Queensland and NSW

One reform took a whole group of loads out of the question. General Mass Limits rise to align with Concessional Mass Limits, so accreditation is no longer needed to run at CML weights. ACA-Mass is still required for HML, some PBS combinations and certain notices. Some PBS combinations also need maintenance accreditation, and the NHVR tells operators to check their Vehicle Approval.

So a carrier without accreditation is not automatically a red flag. The NHVR's transition options include an exit option for operators who no longer need accreditation. One example is a carrier that held Mass accreditation only to run at CML.

How NHVAS accreditation maps to GSA and ACA

1GSA: the foundation. Whole-of-business Safety Management System audit. No concessions on its own.
2GSA-MAP: annual inspection exemption, Queensland and NSW only; needed for some PBS combinations.
3ACA-Mass: HML, some PBS combinations, certain notices. Not needed for CML weights.
4ACA-Fatigue: work and rest hours chosen within legislated outer limits.

GSA comes first. ACA pathways only ride on top of it.

Source: NHVR, about the HVA scheme, HVA operator FAQs, HVA scheme tiers

Old NHVAS module	Under HVA	What it covers now	When your freight relies on it
(no equivalent)	GSA	Whole-of-business SMS audit against five categories; no concessions on its own	Needed before any ACA pathway
Maintenance	GSA-MAP	Exemption from annual vehicle inspections, Queensland and NSW only	Trucks relying on that exemption, or PBS combinations whose Vehicle Approval requires it
Mass	ACA-Mass	Higher Mass Limits, some PBS combinations, certain notices; CML weights no longer need accreditation	HML, some PBS, certain notices
BFM and AFM	ACA-Fatigue	Operator-chosen hours within outer limits (solo: max 15.5 h work, min 7 h rest per 24 h; two-up: max 14 h work, min 5 h rest)	Carriers running alternative hours; existing BFM/AFM continue until expiry

Source: NHVR, changes to accreditation, HVA scheme tiers, HVA operator FAQs, news, 22 Oct 2026

The old scheme and the new one audit different things. NHVAS audited the modules an operator chose: Mass, Maintenance and Fatigue. The new Heavy Vehicle Accreditation (HVA) scheme audits all safety-related transport activities against the SMS Standard 2026. That standard has five categories: Leadership and Commitment, Risk Management, People, Assurance/Monitoring/Improvement, and Safety Systems.

The base layer is General Safety Accreditation. GSA is the foundation, and operators must achieve it before they can access any Alternative Compliance Accreditation (ACA) pathway. GSA is earned through a whole-of-business Safety Management System audit and gives no regulatory concessions on its own. Think of it as the chassis. Nothing rides without it, but it carries no load by itself.

The concessions sit on top of GSA:

Maintenance. GSA-MAP, the Maintenance Assurance Program, continues the exemption from annual vehicle inspections, in Queensland and NSW only.
Mass. ACA-Mass covers the work that still needs accreditation, such as HML and some PBS combinations.
Fatigue. Basic and Advanced Fatigue Management merge into a single performance-based ACA-Fatigue.

When does a carrier have to move off NHVAS accreditation?

Original NHVAS grant date

NHVAS accreditation valid; vehicles and drivers can still be added or removed; no new modules after 1 August 2026

Expiry date (if modules differ, the first expiry counts)

AMove to HVA: audit application lodged in NHVR Go at least 28 days before the audit; most HVA applications completed in under 14 days, ACA-Fatigue may take longer
B
Extension: email accreditation@nhvr.gov.au BEFORE expiry; up to 12 months; never past 3 years from the original grant
3-year maximum accreditation period
CLet it lapse: NHVAS benefits cease from the expiry date; HML or PBS work cannot continue

An operator can be accredited in only one scheme at a time.

Source: NHVR, HVA operator FAQs, transition options, apply for and maintain HVA

Not on 1 August. No new NHVAS accreditation is being granted, but existing operators can keep working under NHVAS until their accreditation expires.

A common belief is that every NHVAS operator had to switch to HVA straight away, but the two schemes run side by side, with one limit: an operator can be accredited in only one scheme at a time.

The "three years" you may hear about is a cap, not a grace period for everyone. The NHVR manages a phased transition of up to 3 years (maximum accreditation period). An extension can add up to 12 months, but the accreditation period cannot run past 3 years from the original grant. Extensions are requested by emailing accreditation@nhvr.gov.au before expiry.

Three details change how you read a carrier's answer:

No new modules. Since 1 August the NHVR cannot add modules to an NHVAS accreditation. A carrier can still add and remove vehicles and drivers until expiry, but it cannot bolt Mass onto NHVAS for new HML work.
The first expiry counts. Where modules have different expiry dates, the first expiry triggers the transition approach. The NHVR is asking operators to align their modules to one date.
A lapse is a cliff. If a deadline is missed, NHVAS benefits cease from the expiry date.

What happens to BFM and AFM fatigue accreditation?

ACA-Fatigue outer limits per 24 hours

Solo driver

Maximum work hours: 15.5 h

Minimum rest hours: 7 h

Two-up

Maximum work hours: 14 h

Minimum rest hours: 5 h

Operators choose hours inside these limits. NHVR templated tables are designed for solo drivers; two-up may need a bespoke table.

Source: NHVR, HVA scheme tiers, changes to accreditation

Existing BFM and AFM accreditations continue under current conditions until they expire, are cancelled, or the operator moves to HVA. New applicants who want alternative fatigue hours apply through ACA-Fatigue.

Under ACA-Fatigue, operators pick work and rest hours within legislated outer limits:

Driver set-up	Maximum work in 24 hours	Minimum rest in 24 hours
Solo	15.5 hours	7 hours
Two-up	14 hours	5 hours

The NHVR's templated tables of hours cover BFM-equivalent and common AFM options. They are designed for solo drivers, so two-up operations may need a bespoke table.

People need the right training too. ACA-Fatigue drivers need the fatigue competency unit TLIF0030 or an equivalent, along with periodic physical medical assessments. Schedulers, supervisors and managers need TLIF0031 or an equivalent.

Fatigue is worth the extra question. The NHVR recorded 5835 fatigue-related offences nationally last financial year, up almost 16% from 5039 the year before.

What to ask your carrier about NHVAS accreditation

1 Which scheme are you in, NHVAS or HVA? (You can only hold one at a time.)
2 Does my freight need your accreditation? (Only for HML, some PBS combinations, certain notices, or the annual inspection exemption in Queensland and NSW.)
3 When does your accreditation expire? If your modules expire on different dates, which comes first?
4 What's your plan: move to HVA, request an extension before expiry, or exit because you no longer need it?
5 Is your HVA audit booked? (The application goes in at least 28 days before the audit.)
6 Are you on BFM or AFM today, and are you planning ACA-Fatigue? Do your drivers hold TLIF0030 or an equivalent?
7 Which vehicles can I check on the NHVR's AVM search? (HVA vehicles nominated Active, for vehicles you are a responsible person for; it says nothing about roadworthiness.)

Source: NHVR, HVA operator FAQs, about the HVA scheme, apply for and maintain HVA, transition options, HVA scheme tiers, manage your HVA

Seven questions cover it:

Which scheme are you in, NHVAS or HVA? A carrier can hold only one at a time.
Does my freight need your accreditation? It does if the work relies on HML, some PBS combinations, certain notices, or the annual inspection exemption in Queensland and NSW. If it doesn't, the answer may honestly be no.
When does it expire? If the carrier's modules expire on different dates, ask which comes first.
What's the plan? The options are to move to HVA, to request an extension before expiry, or to exit if accreditation is no longer needed.
Is the audit booked? Our six-week estimate is the minimum. Earlier is better while auditors are in demand.
Are you on BFM or AFM today, and is ACA-Fatigue the plan? If the carrier runs two-up, ask whether it needs a bespoke table of hours.
Can I check your vehicles? See the next section.

In our view, a carrier's accreditation shows effort, but it does not take over your own duties as a consignor or receiver. Those duties are set out in our guide to the chain of responsibility for shippers and receivers.

How to check accreditation on a truck

1HVA labels: Mass, Maintenance, or both
2Labels in the mail? The driver carries the approval letter for up to 21 days.

Source: NHVR, manage your HVA

The NHVR's Active Vehicle Module (AVM) search shows in real time whether a vehicle is "Active" in HVA accreditation. The NHVR makes it available to contracting parties to verify the accreditation nomination of a vehicle they are a responsible person for.

Know its limits. The search does not show the owner. The NHVR also gives no guarantee about a vehicle's roadworthiness or compliance, so an "Active" result answers one question only.

On the truck itself, operators get new HVA labels when they are accredited. The labels go on or beside the driver's side door. The NHVR shows three label designs: Mass, Maintenance, and Mass and Maintenance. While labels are in the post, the driver carries the approval letter for up to 21 days.

For carriers: lining up GSA, ACA and the audit

1Lodge audit application in NHVR Go, at least 28 days before the audit
2Entry audit, on application; major CARs closed before the report is submitted
3Accreditation granted (most applications under 14 days; ACA-Fatigue may take longer)
4Initial compliance audit, 6 to 7 months after first accreditation
5Compliance audits, between 9 months and 1 month before expiry

Annual internal review by the operator

Source: NHVR, apply for and maintain HVA

Apply for everything at once. The NHVR encourages operators to apply for GSA, including GSA-MAP, and ACA at the same time to reduce costs and avoid further audits.

Know the audit cycle. The audit cycle runs in four steps:

an entry audit on application
an initial compliance audit 6 to 7 months after first accreditation
compliance audits between 9 months and 1 month before expiry
an annual internal review by the operator

Major corrective action requests must be closed before the audit report is submitted.

Expect a background check. The NHVR assesses each applicant's compliance history and criminal history. Applicants must also declare known contraventions by themselves or an "associate" in the previous 5 years.

Budget for the fees. The NHVR's HVA scheme fee schedule sets application fees of $113 for GSA, $113 for ACA-Mass and $172 for ACA-Fatigue, with GSA-MAP at $0, though it still needs an audit (checked October 2026). Applying for GSA, ACA-Mass and ACA-Fatigue together comes to $398 in application fees on our arithmetic (checked October 2026). Vehicle fees are $41 per truck for GSA-MAP and ACA-Mass and $41 per trailer for GSA-MAP, with ACA-Mass trailer fees deferred at $0 (checked October 2026).

Read the rules behind the scheme. The NHVR's HVNL reform implementation page lists the supporting instruments: the Safety Management System Standard 2026, the National Audit Standard for Heavy Vehicle Accreditation, the Ministerial Guidelines for Heavy Vehicle Accreditation 2026, and the Ministerial Standard for alternative compliance hours.

The numbers to keep in mind

3 yearsmaximum accreditation period, counted from the original grant
Up to 12 monthsNHVAS extension, requested before expiry
28 daysminimum notice for an HVA audit application
Under 14 daysmost HVA applications
15.5 h work, 7 h restsolo outer limits per 24 h
14 h work, 5 h resttwo-up outer limits per 24 h
21 dayshow long the approval letter is carried while labels are posted

Source: NHVR, HVA operator FAQs, transition options, apply for and maintain HVA, HVA scheme tiers, manage your HVA

Every figure on this card comes from the NHVR pages linked above. If you only remember two, make them the 3-year cap from the original grant and the rule that an extension must be requested before expiry.

Your next step

Ask your carrier the questions above this week, starting with when their accreditation expires.

If part of the HVA transition is still unclear for your freight, tell Logistics Industry News through our contact page. For the wider reform this sits inside, our rundown of the Heavy Vehicle National Law changes covers what else changed on 1 August.