Guy Allen at AllMoto has given us an update on changes to the Club Permit Scheme that are being proposed by VicRoads in its revision of the Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations.

The changes are still going through a consultation process, but if they are implemented, they will take effect from 3 October 2021.

Key take-aways:

• Eligibility will shift from 25 to 30 years. The existing 1,800 vehicles in that 5-year window will be OK as the change is ‘grandfathered’ in.
• Fees to increase, by approx. $14 for 45 days and by $28 for 90 days. This is VicRoads fees only – no mention is made of TAC.
• VicRoads to have broader powers for a “please explain” for clubs and permit-holders that attract attention, e.g. trade vehicles being used as such, or clubs where there seems to be only one person involved. Any club with less than 10 registrations is on the radar.
• There is talk of new penalties for failure to comply with Club Permit rules, such as failure to fill out a logbook. These are not explained (there was talk of coming up with something a little less harsh than the current situation where you cop the full ‘driving unregistered’ penalty; however, there is no confirmation either way in the Regulatory Impact Statement).
• It’s likely that you will be required to make an appointment for a new permit – this hasn’t generally been the case in the past.
• VicRoads will push to introduce electronic logbooks instead of paper. The implication of this is it will be in the cloud and will make it easier to check if you’ve ‘signed’ your logbook for the day, i.e. law enforcement can check without actually pulling you up. The downside for many will be the lack of a physical reminder to sign off for the day. VicRoads acknowledges that users much prefer the paper system.