Gross vehicle mass (GVM)

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GlossaryUpdated 10 July 2026

Gross vehicle mass is the maximum a vehicle is allowed to weigh fully loaded, set by the manufacturer, and it is the number that decides whether a vehicle is legally light or heavy in Australia.

The 4.5 tonne GVM line matters everywhere: above it the Heavy Vehicle National Law applies (outside WA and the NT), heavy vehicle on-road fuel tax credits become claimable, and different licensing and inspection rules kick in.

GVM is the vehicle alone. For a truck towing a trailer, the combined limit is the gross combination mass.

Last updated 10 July 2026General information, not tax or legal advice.

Related terms

Keep reading.

Neighbouring terms from the fleet glossary.

Gross combination massGross combination mass is the maximum combined weight of a vehicle plus everything it tows, including the trailers and their loads, as rated by the manufacturer.GCM
Heavy Vehicle National LawThe Heavy Vehicle National Law is the single rulebook governing vehicles over 4.5 tonnes in every Australian state and territory except Western Australia and the Northern Territory.HVNL
Fuel tax creditsFuel tax credits refund part of the fuel excise built into the price of fuel used for business, claimed on the BAS, with the rate depending on the fuel, the vehicle, how the fuel was used and when it was bought.FTC

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