Category 1 and Category 2 vehicles
What are the operating requirements for Category 1 and Category 2 vehicles?
The operating requirements set out here are minimum requirements. Regardless of the size of the vehicle, the operator of an overdimension vehicle must ensure the vehicle can safely complete its journey.
In particular, this will require adequate clearance along the route, and the vehicle being able to safely share the road network with other vehicles. The operator must ensure pilot vehicles accompany the vehicle in any areas where it is necessary to provide adequate warning and traffic management to approaching traffic.
Category 1 requirements
These requirements are in addition to the general operating requirements.
Hazard warning markings and signs
Fluorescent yellow flags (at least 40mm long and 300mm wide) must be attached to indicate the:
- excess width of vehicle or load at its front and rear
- the front of the load (if it has excess front overhang)
- the rear of the load (if it has excess rear overhang)
- the rear of the load (if it has excess length).
You may use retro-reflective hazard panels coloured yellow-green with an orange diagonal stripe instead of flags.
If you're travelling during the hours of darkness, the flags must be replaced with retro-reflective yellow-green hazard panels with an orange diagonal stripe.
Hazard panels
The panels must:
- comply with AS/NZ 1906.1.1993 Retro reflective materials and devices for road traffic control purposes, Part 1: Retro reflective materials
- consist of retro-reflective material coloured yellow-green with a 200mm-wide diagonal orange stripe
- have the illustrated dimensions and orientation
- be frangible (fragile; easily broken if hit by an object, eg a cyclist).
If the vehicle is over 3.1 metres wide, OVERSIZE signs must be displayed at the front and rear.
You must not display OVERSIZE signs unless required to do so by the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule.
Piloting
If the width of the vehicle or load exceeds 3.1 metres and the vehicle travels during the hours of darkness, the overdimension vehicle must be piloted by at least one NZTA-approved Class 2 pilot.
If the width of the vehicle or load exceeds 3.1 metres and the vehicle travels at a speed over 40km/h, the overdimension vehicle must be piloted by at least one NZTA-approved Class 2 pilot.
Restricted travel times
Category 1 overdimension vehicles must not travel:
- between 0700 hours and 0900 hours, or 1600 hours and 1800 hours, on Monday to Friday inclusive, in any city* area
- between 1000 hours and 1300 hours, or 1600 hours and 1900 hours, on Saturday or Sunday
- at times when there are unusually heavy traffic volumes.
* Note: City is defined as the urban areas of Auckland (between Albany and Drury), Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Hastings, Invercargill, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Tauranga, Whanganui, Wellington (including all areas south of McKays Crossing on State Highway 1 and Te Marua on State Highway 2) and Whangarei.
The restricted travel times don't apply to a motor vehicle whose dimensions, although exceeding the maximum dimensions allowed for a standard vehicle, don't project outside the lane in which the vehicle is travelling, and the vehicle (including its load) has been certified (under NZTA approval) as meeting the road space requirements of a maximum size standard vehicle.
Please note that travel time restrictions do not apply to a motor vehicle that is being used in an emergency if the operator of the vehicle can provide evidence that the vehicle was required by:
- a road controlling authority to repair, or restore access to, a road, railway or bridge
- a territorial authority, or a public utility provider, to restore a public utility service
- the New Zealand Police to attend an incident or accident
- a territorial or local authority to stabilise land or otherwise reduce an imminent risk to persons or property
- the Controller, or any member of the New Zealand Police, or any person acting under their authority, to carry out emergency response work during a state of emergency declared under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.
Category 2 requirements
These requirements are in addition to the general operating requirements.
Hazard warning panels
Hazard warning panels must be attached to indicate the:
- excess width on each side of an overwidth load or vehicle at its front and rear
- front of a load with excess front overhang
- rear of a load with excess rear overhang
- rear of a load for excess length.
The panels must:
- comply with AS/NZ 1906.1.1993 Retro reflective materials and devices for road traffic control purposes, Part 1: Retro reflective materials
- consist of retro-reflective material coloured yellow-green with a 200mm-wide diagonal orange stripe
- have the illustrated dimensions and orientation
- be frangible (fragile; easily broken if hit by an object, eg a cyclist).
You must not display hazard warning panels on a Category 2 vehicle unless you're required to by the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule.
If the vehicle is more than 3.1 metres wide, OVERSIZE signs must be displayed at the front and rear.
You must not display OVERSIZE signs unless required to do so by the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule.
Piloting Category 2 vehicles or loads
Most Category 2 vehicles or loads must have at least one Class 2 pilot.
If, however, the dimensions of length or height, or the combination of width and forward distance, place the vehicle or load in Category 2 and the rear overhang is between 7 and 10 metres, then there must be at least two Class 2 pilots.
During the hours of darkness a Category 2 vehicle or load must be escorted by at least one Class 1 and and at least one Class 2 pilot.
Restricted travel times
Category 2 overdimension vehicles must not travel:
- between 0700 hours and 0900 hours, or 1600 hours and 1800 hours, on Monday to Friday inclusive, in any city* area
- between 1000 hours and 1300 hours, or 1600 hours and 1900 hours, on Saturday or Sunday
- between 23 December and 3 January inclusive
- on a national holiday, or after 1600 hours on the day preceding a national public holiday
- in any province on its provincial anniversary holiday, or after 1600 hours on the day preceding that anniversary holiday
- at times when there are unusually heavy traffic volumes.
* Note: City is defined as the urban areas of Auckland (between Albany and Drury), Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Hastings, Invercargill, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Tauranga, Whanganui, Wellington (including all areas south of McKays Crossing on State Highway 1 and Te Marua on State Highway 2) and Whangarei.
The restricted travel times are relaxed to those of Category 1 if the vehicle (including its load) has been verified (under NZTA approval) as meeting the road performance requirements equivalent to a Category 1 vehicle. A Category 1 vehicle that is designed to be operated in connection directly with the operation or management of a farm does not need to be verified, so long as it operates within its own lane.
Please note that travel time restrictions do not apply to a motor vehicle that is being used in an emergency if the operator of the vehicle can provide evidence that the vehicle was required by:
- a road controlling authority to repair, or restore access to, a road, railway or bridge
- a territorial authority, or a public utility provider, to restore a public utility service
- the New Zealand Police to attend an incident or accident
- a territorial or local authority to stabilise land or otherwise reduce an imminent risk to persons or property
- the Controller, or any member of the New Zealand Police, or any person acting under their authority, to carry out emergency response work during a state of emergency declared under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.
