Brisbane Towing Laws: What Truck Drivers Need to Know in 2026

Brisbane Towing Laws: What Truck Drivers Need to Know

Queensland has specific laws governing towing operations. If you operate heavy vehicles, understanding these rules protects you from compliance issues and helps you evaluate whether your towing provider is operating legally.

The Tow Truck Act 1973 (Queensland)

This is the primary legislation governing tow truck operations in Queensland. It covers licensing requirements for tow truck operators and drivers, conduct rules at accident scenes including restrictions on touting and soliciting, vehicle storage requirements and time limits, fee disclosure obligations, and the Authority to Tow documentation that must be completed before a tow commences.

Under this Act, a tow truck driver must present identification and provide an Authority to Tow form before moving your vehicle. Review this form before signing. It specifies the destination for the tow and the agreed price. If a tow truck driver pressures you to sign without explanation or tries to take your vehicle without this documentation, that is a compliance breach.

Heavy Vehicle National Law

For heavy vehicles specifically, the Heavy Vehicle National Law applies in addition to the Tow Truck Act. This law governs mass, dimension, and loading requirements. When a heavy vehicle is towed, the combined weight of the tow truck and casualty vehicle must comply with mass limits.

Chain of Responsibility (CoR) provisions mean that every party in the transport chain shares responsibility for safety. This includes the towing company. If a towing company overloads their tow truck, fails to restrain a casualty vehicle properly, or operates with a fatigued driver, CoR liability can extend to the vehicle owner who engaged them.

What This Means for You

When selecting a towing company, check that they are licensed under the Tow Truck Act, they provide Authority to Tow documentation, they comply with NHVR mass and dimension requirements, their drivers hold appropriate licence classes for the tow trucks they operate, and they manage fatigue in accordance with Heavy Vehicle National Law requirements.

Accident Scene Rules

Queensland law restricts tow truck operator conduct at accident scenes. Operators cannot solicit towing work by approaching drivers at an accident scene uninvited. Police may direct which tow truck company removes a vehicle from an accident scene, particularly on major roads where incident clearance is managed by TMR.

If police direct a tow truck company that is not your preferred provider, you can request that the vehicle be transferred to your preferred tow truck company at the earliest opportunity.

Storage and Release

If your vehicle is towed to a storage facility, Queensland law limits the fees that can be charged for storage and sets requirements for vehicle release. You have the right to collect personal belongings from a stored vehicle during business hours.

For compliant heavy vehicle towing in Brisbane, call Delta Heavy Towing on +61 455 996 600. TruckSafe accredited, NHVR compliant, fully licensed.