Farm firefighting vehicles

How to register an FFV

Conditional registration is available for dedicated farm firefighting vehicles including trailers, so they can be used in an emergency to respond to a local bushfire.

FFV registration is for emergency use only. If you plan to use your vehicle more regularly, consider applying for standard registration. Read more information about used or secondhand vehicles.

Eligibility

To be eligible for registration:

• Your vehicle must be a dedicated firefighting vehicle with permanently attached firefighting equipment. Vehicles with ‘slip-on’ firefighting equipment, which can also be driven for other purposes, should use general registration.
• For light vehicles, an unregistered vehicle (AUVIS) inspection will be required to initially establish registration. After that, while registration must be renewed annually, a safety check/pink slip will only be required every 2 years, rather than the usual annual inspection. Read more information about safety checks and vehicle inspections.
• Heavy vehicles will require an HVAIS inspection when initially establishing registration and then every two years for renewals. Read more about inspections for heavy vehicles
• You can drive an unregistered vehicle to the nearest convenient AIS station. Read more about when you can drive unregistered

FFV registration conditions

If your vehicle has FFV registration you must comply with these conditions:

• Must have permanently and safely attached firefighting equipment such as water tanks and pumps. More details about attaching equipment can be found in the load restraint guide
• Must only be driven in connection with emergency bushfire incidents.
• If the vehicle’s garage address is situated east of Newell Highway it must only be driven within a 50km radius. This is to enable assistance with bushfires on nearby properties. There is currently no restriction if the garage address is west of Newell Highway due to the greater distance between properties in that area. The garaging address of the vehicle is your residential address unless a different garage address is supplied when registering your vehicle.
• only annual registration term is available

Read the FFV conditional registration vehicle sheet to understand the minimum mandatory conditions associated with your vehicle.

Number plates and certificates

Once they are registered, FFVs must display conditional registration number plates.

The Certificate of Approved Operations, detailing the conditions applicable to the operation of the vehicle, must be carried in the vehicle whenever it is used on a road or road-related area.

FFV registration applications

An applicant must attend a Service NSW service centre in person to apply for a conditional registration. 

Renewing and cancelling registration

Find out how to renew or cancel registration of conditional registration vehicles.

FFVs require an inspection to renew every second year and cannot be renewed online.

Transferring registration

You can't transfer FFV registration. You need to cancel your registration before a new operator can register the vehicle in their name.

FFV Trial report

Read the Farm Firefighting Vehicles second trial report 2025 (PDF 100.37KB) to find out more about the outcomes of the Farm Firefighting Vehicles trial.