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If you drive an electric, hybrid or hydrogen powered vehicle that was built or modified after 1 January 2019, you'll need to display safety labels on your vehicle's number plates.
These labels help emergency services take any necessary precautions when responding to an accident.
If your vehicle was built or modified before 1 January 2019, while you're not required to display these labels, we recommended you do as they act as an important notice for emergency services workers.
Vehicles that require safety labels
An approved safety label must be displayed on your vehicle's number plates if you drive a:
- electric (EV) powered vehicle
- hydrogen (H) powered vehicle
- hybrid vehicle
- gaseous fuelled vehicle (LPG, LNG and CNG).
Safety label requirements
The label must be:
- affixed to a plate made of metal that is at least 1mm thick
- compliant with class 2 of AS 1906.1 Retroreflective Materials and Devices for Road Traffic Control Purposes - Retroreflective Sheeting.
The label plate must be:
- fixed permanently to the front and rear number plates - eg using rivets, and not to the plate frame or cover
- displayed so that the letters on the label are in an upright position
- fixed without obscuring any characters or the state of issue.
Displaying safety labels
Electric powered vehicles including hybrid vehicles not fuelled with hydrogen
- The metal plate and label size shall be an equilateral triangle shape each side of which is 30 mm in length.
- The label colour shall be retroreflective blue, complying with AS/ NZS 1906.1, Class 2.
- It is marked ‘EV’ in white capital letters that are at least 8mm in height.
Figure 1. Example label for electric-powered vehicles
Hydrogen-powered vehicles
- The metal plate and label size shall be a regular pentagon shape each side of which is 20 mm long.
- The label colour shall be retroreflective yellow, complying with AS/ NZS 1906.1, Class 2.
- It is marked ‘H’ in a black capital letter that is at least 10mm in height.
Figure 2. Example label for hydrogen-powered vehicles
Hybrid vehicles fuelled with hydrogen and electricity
Vehicles fitted with an electric or traction motor in conjunction with a hydrogen fuel system for the propulsion of the vehicle must comply with the requirements for hydrogen-powered vehicles. Electric vehicle labels need not be applied in addition to the hydrogen labels.
Gaseous fuelled vehicles (LPG, LNG and CNG)
All vehicles powered by gaseous fuels, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), or compressed natural gas (CNG), must be fitted with warning labels on their number plates.
LPG powered vehicle label requirements
- A vehicle with an LPG system installed must have fixed conspicuously to its front and rear number plates the labels required by the version of Australian Standard AS 1425 or Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1425 that was current at the time the system was installed in the vehicle.
- If a vehicle had an LPG system installed before Australian Standard AS 1425-1973 was first published, the vehicle must have fixed conspicuously to its front and rear number plates a label—
- that is made of durable material at least 25 millimetres wide and 25 millimetres high and states "LPGAS" or "LPG", or similar words or acronyms that have the same meaning, in capital letters at least 6 millimetres high; and
- that is of a reflective red that conforms with either Australian Standard AS 1743-1975 or Australian Standard AS 1906.1-1976 Retroreflective Materials and Devices for Road Traffic Control Purposes—Part 1: Retroreflective Materials.
Who is responsible for purchasing the label
If your vehicle needs an EV, H or LPG label, you are responsible for purchasing and fitting it.
You can purchase LPG, EV and H labels from your local auto or accessory parts store.
LPG labels can also be purchased from any Service SA centre or online through the Service SA shop.
Vehicle Standards reference: MR1637.
