If you have a diesel-powered vehicle that was manufactured before 1 January 1996 and is used on public roads, you must meet specific environmental criteria.

The diesel vehicle must meet one of the environmental criteria outlined by the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. The vehicle must:

• be registered in an approved audited maintenance program, or
• comply with an endorsed maintenance schedule, or
• meet Australian Vehicle Standard Rules.

You need to keep the documentary evidence to support that you have satisfied the environmental criteria.

If you do not satisfy the environmental criteria for a heavy diesel vehicle used on public roads, you’re not eligible to claim fuel tax credits.

If the heavy diesel vehicle was manufactured before 1 January 1996 but has been retrofitted with an engine that was manufactured on or after 1 January 1996, the engine must meet all the following criteria:

• be certified to the Australian Design Rule (ADR) 70/00 (or later) emission standard (currently ADR 80/00 or ADR 80/01)
• be properly installed
• retain all the original (or equivalent) components.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts provides information about the environmental criteria.

You must keep records to demonstrate that your heavy vehicle meets the environmental criteria.

The environmental criteria do not apply if your heavy diesel vehicle is:

• manufactured on or after 1 January 1996
• farm vehicle used primarily on an agricultural property for primary production
• not used on a public road, such as the diesel vehicle is used on private roads or work sites only.