Explosives transport licence - New, amendment or transfer applications

When is this licence required?

An explosives transport licence is required by a prime contractor to transport explosives by road, rail or water.

An explosives transport licence is issued for five years.

A person who drives a road vehicle transporting explosives must hold an explosives driver licence and may only drive for the holder of an explosives transport licence.

Applying for an explosives driver's licence

All drivers are required to hold a security clearance and be authorised as secure nominees.

Who is a prime contractor?

Under the Dangerous Goods Safety (Explosives) Regulations 2007, the prime contractor is the person who:

• is conducting a business for or involving the transport of explosives by road and undertakes to be (or is) responsible for the transport of the explosive by road

or

undertakes to be (or is) responsible for:

• the transport of the explosive by rail, or
• the condition of a rail wagon transporting the explosive by rail, or
• is conducting a business for or involving the transport of explosives by water and undertakes to be (or is) responsible for the transport of the explosive by water.

A sub-contractor may transport explosives for a licence holder provided they meet the relevant requirements for security clearances and operate within the licence holder’s explosives management plan.

When is an explosives transport licence not required?

An explosives transport licence is not required if the explosives are exempt under Schedule 7 of the Dangerous Goods Safety (Explosives) Regulations 2007 (e.g. sparklers; cartridges for safety devices or nail guns; emergency devices; ammunition).

The prime contractor holds:

• another type of explosives licence and transports explosives in accordance with that licence (e.g. shotfirer licence, fireworks contractor licence)
• an equivalent licence in another State or Territory.

Refer to Schedule 7 of the Dangerous Goods Safety (Explosives) Regulations 2007.

Mobile processing units (MPUs) are not subject to explosives transport licensing because they are not permitted to transport explosives on a public road. A separate explosives manufacture licence is required to use MPUs for the manufacture of bulk AN-based explosives.

Applying for an explosives manufacture (MPU) licence

Recognition of interstate licences

The Western Australian explosives regulations allow for the recognition of similar explosives transport licences issued in another State or Territory of Australia. However, Resources Safety will seek assurance from the licence-issuing authority that the licence-holder’s explosives management plan adequately addresses security matters for transport operations in Western Australia.

Vehicles

The licence can apply to any number of vehicles operated by the explosives transport licence holder.  However, all vehicles used in the transport of explosives must comply with the requirements of the Australian Explosives Code, 3rd edition (AEC3).

The Australian Code for the Transport of Explosives by Road and Rail, Third Edition (AEC), available from Safe Work Australia.

Although the vehicles are not required to be individually licensed for explosives transport, information will be sought on the central garaging location where the vehicles can normally be inspected.

Use of an accredited consultant

To develop the submission, it is recommended that those intending to apply for a licence engage a dangerous goods consultant accredited to prepare and submit an application. The consultant will normally complete the application form on the applicant’s behalf, but the intended licensee must sign the application.

Applications submitted without accredited consultant endorsement may take up to three months to process and a checking fee applies. Deficient submissions will take longer to process.

Refer to What is the role of accredited dangerous goods consultants? for a list of consultants.

Who can apply?

• Licences are only granted to an individual, body corporate or partnership.
• Individuals must be at least 21 years of age.

Required supporting information

The application must be signed by the intended licensee and lodged with:

• Completed and signed application form
• If applicable, a separate sheet briefly describing details of any relevant offence resulting in convictions, and/or charges pending
• The original certified colour copy of an interstate recognised security clearance
• A copy of an explosives management plan
• Individual: Colour copy of motor driver's licence
• Body Corporate: Original certified copy of certificate of incorporation
• Partnership:
  • Original certified copy of evidence of the partnership
  • A statutory declaration from each partner (see the application form for more information)

The supporting documentation, which can be the original or the original certified document (where a copy is requested this does not apply).

Failure to provide the required documentation will delay processing of applications.

Application fee

Only the licence fee for the first year of the licence is to be lodged with the application. Licence fees for subsequent years will be billed annually.

A checking fee:

• does not apply if a consultant endorses the proposal as complying with the regulations.
• applies for applications without accredited consultant endorsement.

The checking fees are equal to the licence fee payable with the application.

Go to Dangerous goods fees and charges for more information on licence fees.

Lodging the application

The completed application form, together with supporting documents and payment can be sent to the department via:

Emailed to: cso@dmirs.wa.gov.au