HR / HC Truck Licence
1–5 days · $600–$2,500 · Required for: Truck drivers, water cart, service truck operators
Overview
A Heavy Rigid (HR) or Heavy Combination (HC) Licence is the Entry Strategy for anyone wanting to Drive Service Vehicles, Water Carts, Fuel Trucks, Buses or Tipper Trucks on a Minesite. HR Covers Rigid Vehicles over 8 Tonnes with any number of Axles, While HC adds Articulated Combinations up to a Prime Mover with a Single trailer. Training runs from a Single day for Experienced Drivers upgrading through to a Full week for Beginners, with costs sitting between $600 and $2,500 depending on State, Transmission Type, and how many Practical Hours you need. Most mine sites also require you to have held the Licence for at least 12 Months before they'll let you Operate Heavy Plant so plan ahead. Many Labour Hire Companies won't even shortlist you until that 12 Month Timeline has clocked over. On top of the Civil Licence you'll typically need a Verification of Competency (VOC) for the specific Machine, a current Medical Certificate and often a Defensive Driving or Fatigue Management Course. Drivers with HR/HC plus Mining Experience are consistently in Demand and enjoy the most reliable roster patterns On-site.
How to get your HR / HC Truck Licence
Heavy Rigid (HR) and Heavy Combination (HC) licences are civil driver licences issued by each state's road transport authority — Transport for NSW, VicRoads, WA Department of Transport, QLD Transport and Main Roads, and equivalents in SA, TAS, and NT. To upgrade from a car (C) licence to HR you need to have held your open C licence for at least two years, and HC requires two years on HR (or MR). You'll book training through a licenced heavy vehicle driving school — you cannot self-teach and turn up for a test. Typical HR training packages include theory instruction, log book road hours, off-road manoeuvre practice, and the practical assessment; beginners with no truck exposure usually need three to five days, while experienced drivers upgrading from MR often finish in one to two days. Expect $600 to $1,400 for HR and $1,200 to $2,500 for HC, with automatic-only options cheaper than manual (but note: an auto-only licence restricts you on many mine sites, so pay extra for the manual endorsement). You'll also need a Commercial Vehicle Medical Certificate signed by a GP, a current eyesight test, and clean traffic history. After passing, most mine operators require a 12-month probationary period on public roads before you can operate heavy plant, and you'll always sit a site-specific Verification of Competency (VOC) for each machine you drive. Add-on tickets that dramatically boost your earning potential: fatigue management (TLIF0005), load restraint, dangerous goods (LR endorsement), and defensive driving.
Who to enquire with — training providers & employers
Leading heavy vehicle schools include Armstrong's Driver Education (VIC/national), All Trucks Training (WA), Pilbara Heavy Vehicle Training (Karratha), Ontrack Training (QLD), and Kelly's Truck Driving School (national). For mining-focused progression from HR to dump truck operator, WesTrac Institute in Perth and Newman offers integrated pathways combining HR with Certificate II in Surface Extraction Operations. Labour hire providers Programmed, One Key Resources, and Chandler Macleod regularly sponsor licence upgrades for candidates already committed to a swing. If you're 21 or over with a clean record, Rio Tinto's autonomous truck controller roles and Fortescue's haul truck operator programs occasionally accept applicants without prior mining experience provided the HR licence is current and the 12-month rule is met.
Insider tips
Get the manual endorsement even if you plan to only drive autos — it opens twice as many jobs. Log every hour of on-road experience with dates and vehicle types, because recruiters ask. And keep your medical certificate current; expired medicals stop offers cold.