Labelling requirements for electric-powered and hydrogen-powered vehicles in Queensland
Electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles with battery energy storage systems present unique hazards during certain rescue situations. As a safety measure for emergency services and first responders, there are labelling requirements for electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles registered in Queensland.
If you have one of the following types of vehicles, your vehicle may need to be fitted with additional identifying labels on the front and rear number plates:
- electric vehicles
- hybrid vehicles
- hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
What is an electric-powered vehicle?
An electric-powered vehicle means a vehicle powered by one or more electric motors or traction motors that are the only propulsion system for the vehicle or are used in conjunction with another propulsion system for the vehicle.
For the purposes of labelling, hybrid electric vehicles are treated the same as electric-powered vehicles.
What is a hydrogen-powered vehicle?
A hydrogen-powered vehicle means a vehicle that is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system and has one or more hydrogen fuel containers fitted to the vehicle for the system.
When do I need to fit my label?
If an electric or hydrogen-powered vehicle was built after 1 January 2019, or an existing vehicle was modified to be electric or hydrogen-powered after 1 January 2019, the registered owner must display specific labels on the vehicle's front and rear number plates.
Although labels are not specifically required for electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles built before 1 January 2019, by choosing to fit a label, you are helping to keep emergency services personnel and first responders safe.
For new electric or hydrogen vehicles, label requirements should be discussed with the vehicle dealer.
Where can I purchase a label?
You can order your label through the Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTAQ) website for a small fee. Alternatively, electric vehicle labels are available to purchase from automotive retail stores or motoring associations and clubs.
How do I attach the label to my number plate?
The labels must be securely fitted and not obscure any character on the number plate. Suggested methods to attach the labels include screws, pop rivets, adhesive or double-sided tape.
Electric vehicle label requirements and specifications
Labelling for electric-powered vehicles must:
- be affixed to a plate made of metal that is at least 1mm thick
- be an equilateral triangular shape where each side has width of 30mm in length and each interior angle of which is 60º
- have a blue surface that complies with class 2 of Australian Standard 1906.1 Retroreflective Materials and Devices for Road Traffic Control Purposes—Retroreflective Sheeting
- be marked ‘EV’ in white capital letters that are at least 8mm high and have the orientation shown in the example
- be fixed to the number plates so that the letters on the label are in an upright position
- not wholly or partly obscure any characters on the number plates
Example of label for electric powered vehicle. Note: The example of the label is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent the label's actual size, dimension or colour.
Hydrogen vehicle label requirements
Labelling for hydrogen-powered vehicles must:
- be affixed to a plate made of metal that is at least 1mm thick
- be a regular pentagonal shape where each side is 20mm in length and each interior angle of which is 108º
- must have a yellow surface that complies with class 2 of Australian Standard 1906.1 Retroreflective Materials and Devices for Road Traffic Control Purposes—Retroreflective Sheeting
- must be marked ‘H’ in a black capital letter that is at least 10mm high and have the orientation shown in the example
- must be fixed to the number plates so that the letter on the label is in an upright position
- must not wholly or partly obscure any characters on the number plates
Example of label for hydrogen powered vehicle. Note: The example of the label is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent the label's actual size, dimension or colour.
