‘No reason for these things to be legal’: The rules for lifted utes in Australia

A viral TikTok video has exposed the risks of the lifted utes commonly spotted on US roads, but are they legal in Australia? We find out.

A viral online video of a lifted Ford F-Series ute that crashed into the back of a Porsche sports car in the US has exposed a major road danger associated with high suspension lifts.

In a video posted to the social media platform TikTok, user ‘molesrcool‘ discusses the blind-spot problems and general road risks of lifted vehicles.

RELATED: Don’t judge the ute, judge the driver

The TikTok video – which has been viewed over one million times – displays multiple instances of utes that have had a sizeable height increase, most notably a Ford F-Series ute that collided with a Porsche coupe.

“This lifted truck couldn’t see the Porsche in front of it at the stoplight, and it just slowly rolled onto the back of the Porsche and then got stuck,” the TikTok user explained.

“Lifted trucks are just more dangerous in general because they have all this added weight, so in the event of an emergency, they actually have a harder time stopping … they also have a higher chance of rollover.

“There’s no reason for these things to be legal in any state,” he added.

Most TikTok commenters condemned lifted trucks, with some sharing their own close run-ins.

“A lifted truck almost hit me and my friend in high school, and then he honked at us like it was our fault when we literally had [sic] the walk sign,” one user wrote.

Another remarked “The cost to insure one of those should be double”.

With more American-style utes coming to Australia, we looked at the lift kit rules across every state and territory to determine what qualifies as a maximum measurement limit to help you avoid any fines and penalties.

This article does not constitute legal advice and serves as a general guideline.

@molesrcool Replying to @tenaciousother0 let's talk about lifted trucks and Carolina squat blind spots #liftedtrucks #trucks #carolinasquat #blindspot #blindzone #pedestriandignity ♬ Yacht Club – MusicBox

Are lifted utes legal in Australia?

Generally speaking, lifted utes are legal in Australia provided the height modifications do not increase or decrease the car’s height by more than 50mm (although this limit can vary by state or territory). It is possible to lift your vehicle by more than this limit, but you will need to have these modifications certified by a roadworthy inspector.

According to the National Code of Practice for Light Vehicle Construction and Modification (NCOP) – created by the Department of Infrastructure and Transport – lowering and raising suspensions or raising the vehicle with a body lift kit does not need certification provided the car’s manufactured height isn’t altered by more than 50mm.

Any vehicle that exceeds the 50mm height limit will need to be approved by relevant state and territory road authorities.

Section LS/4.11 of the NCOP states that raising a vehicle’s height by up to 50mm can be done as a single modification or a combination of smaller modifications such as:

• Body blocks or lift kits no bigger than 50mm
• Suspension modification with a 50mm limit
• Change of tyre size with a maximum 50mm diameter

However, Australian states and territories have their own legal limits and requirements when it comes to which lifted vehicles need roadworthy certification.

In New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, drivers can increase the ride height of their vehicle by up to 75mm, with individual limits placed on the specific modifications as well – including a 50mm limit on any height increases to the car’s suspension and a maximum change in tyre and wheel diameter of 50mm.

In South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, motorists are limited to a total maximum lift height of 50mm on their vehicles, anything higher will need to be approved as roadworthy by a regulator.

Interestingly, the Northern Territory has the highest threshold for modified vehicle height, allowing car owners to lift their vehicles up to 100mm.

Some road authorities recommend utilising a licensed technician to carry out the modifications.

“The conversions must be carried out only in accordance with design [regulations] by an Approved Person (AP) accredited by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR),” TMR stated in its Queensland Vehicle Modification guidelines.

Additionally, commercially available suspension kits that have been safety tested must be used when increasing the height of a car.

According to VicRoads, these kits, “must be specifically designed and tested by the suspension lift kit manufacturer for the make/model/variant of the vehicle being modified to ensure no adverse effect on the modified vehicle’s propensity for rollover, handling characteristics, braking performance and structural integrity”.

What are the penalties for lifted vehicles?

While there isn’t a specific road rule regarding lifted cars, there are various modification requirements all Australian drivers must adhere to.

According to the Road Vehicle Standards Act (RVS) – a set of guidelines observed by all state and territory governments – a person can commit an offence if the “modification [on a car] is not otherwise allowed by the rules”.

For example, in Victoria, driving a modified car that isn’t compliant with standards and guidelines can result in a $769 infringement notice or a maximum court-imposed penalty of $3846.

Meanwhile, in New South Wales, drivers caught using a modified vehicle that fails “to comply with applicable vehicle standards” can incur a maximum fine of 20 penalty units valued at $2200.

According to the Queensland state government, motorists caught driving a ‘defective’ vehicle – which can include a modified car that isn’t compliant with regulations – can be issued a $154 fine and one demerit point.

However, under Queensland road rules using a defective vehicle can lead to a maximum penalty of $3226.

In South Australia, drivers who are found to have breached the state’s light vehicle standards and maintenance requirements can face a $584 fine.

Tasmanian drivers caught driving a vehicle not compliant with “relevant vehicle standards” can incur a maximum penalty of $243.75.

To check the modification guidelines in your state or territory, contact your relevant road authority for more information.

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