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Department of Transport and Main Roads

Other matters requiring approval

The department regulates and approves other activities under the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 (the Act), such as works that may interfere with the operation of a road, railway or busway, including the construction of advertising or tourist signs. It may be necessary to obtain a permit or approval for any of the following activities.

Special events management

To run an event in Queensland, event organisers must obtain written approval from the Queensland Police Service and the public authorities responsible for the roads the event may affect with road closures or reduced speed limits.

If the event is affecting local roads, this will mean seeking consent from the relevant local authority or Council.

If the event affects a state-controlled road, or has significant effects on adjoining state-controlled roads, Transport and Main Roads' approval is required.

More information is available on the Traffic Management at Special Events page.

Activities, structures and things in the road corridor

Any activity, structure or thing undertaken or located within the boundaries of a state-controlled road requires approval unless specifically exempt. This is a legislative requirement under section 50 of the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994.

Approval for most activities, structures and things is a Road Corridor Permit.

Examples of activities, structures or things, referred to as ancillary works and encroachments (AWEs), include beehives, roadside vending, footpath dining, drones, advertising devices, pipes, cables, channels, dams, planting/removing trees, burning off, fences, awnings, monuments and stock activities (when not on a stock route).

Please contact your local Transport and Main Roads office if you have any questions on whether something is an ancillary works and encroachment and what approval is required.

Tourist and service signs

Tourist signs display location details and information about tourist attractions. Service signs identify amenities available along the route including accommodation.  Approval to install a sign can be made by completing the relevant form and lodging it with the local Transport and Main Roads office.

Railway works approval

As per s255 of the Act, applicants wishing to undertake works in a railway corridor must seek the relevant railway manager’s written approval unless permitted under another Act. For more information, please contact the applicable railway manager:

Driveways and roadworks within a state-controlled road

This section contains information about: 

Driveways (Road access works)

Road access works are defined by the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 as:

  1. a physical means of entry or exit for traffic between land and a road; or
    Example— a driveway
  2. road works providing entry or exit for traffic between works mentioned in paragraph (a) and the part of the road formed or prepared for use by general traffic.

Road access works provide vehicular access between the road carriageway and adjoining land. All Road access works providing vehicular access onto a state-controlled road require:

  • a permitted road access location
  • a road works approval.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads must ensure that all road access works are:

  • situated so that the location of the road access works do not interfere with the safe and efficient operation of the state-controlled road
  • designed and constructed in accordance with the Department of Transport and Main Roads standards
  • constructed in a way that ensures no adverse safety impacts for road users or construction workers.

Applying for Road access works onto a state-controlled road 

If you have a development approval (for example under the Planning Act 2016) and the Department of Transport and Main Roads has given a decision about the road access location in conjunction with that development approval, please complete:  

If you do not yet have a development approval, do not need a development approval or have a development approval that was not accompanied by a decision about the road access location from the Department of Transport and Main Roads please complete: 

Road works

Road works are defined by the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 to include:

  1. works done for—
    1. establishing or constructing roads or things associated with roads; or
    2. maintaining roads or things associated with roads (other than public utility plant); or
      …
  2. road access works.

As part of the development assessment process, the Department of Transport and Main Roads may recommend to the State Assessment and Referral Agency that conditions be imposed on the development approval requiring the construction of specified Road works to mitigate the impact of the development. To comply with conditions requiring Road works within a State-controlled road, an application to the Department of Transport and Main Roads for a Road works approval is required.

All Road works within a state-controlled road must be:

Applying for road works within a state-controlled road

To apply for road works within a state-controlled road, please use the following form: 

Further information about road access works and road works applications

Further information about making an application for road access works or road works onto a state-controlled road is available on the factsheets below or by contacting your local Department of Transport and Main Roads office.

The information that is required by the Department of Transport and Main Roads to assess an application for road works or road access works (including driveways) will largely depend upon the site and the scale of the works involved. If you are at all unsure about what is required to be included in your application, it is recommended that you contact your local Department of Transport and Main Roads office.

The approval process takes time. Individuals and organisations submitting an application should ensure that sufficient time is allowed for the Department of Transport and Main Roads to assess the application.

An approval may be conditional. Following assessment of your application, if it is approved, the Department of Transport and Main Roads will issue a ‘Letter of Conditional Approval’. This does not necessarily authorise works to commence and may contain conditions that must be complied with prior to any construction commencing in the State-controlled road. If your conditional approval requires you to provide an indemnity to the Department of Transport and Main Roads for road works on a State-controlled road, please use the following form: 

If your conditional approval includes a requirement to provide the Department of Transport and Main Roads with details about the principal contractor who will be undertaking the cost of the works involved, please use the following form: 

Last updated 03 November 2022