Working on or beside a Queensland state-controlled road usually means two TMR approvals with similar-sounding names: a Road Corridor Permit and a Traffic Control Permit. They do different jobs, they're applied for by different people, and many jobs need both. This guide explains which is which, the order to get them in, and the location details that stop an application bouncing back.
The difference in one table
| Topic | Road Corridor Permit (RCP) | Traffic Control Permit (TCP) |
|---|---|---|
| Gives permission to | Carry out an activity, or place, build, maintain or operate something, inside the road corridor | Disrupt traffic: lane or shoulder closures, stop/slow, detours, pedestrian or public transport impacts |
| Legal basis | Section 50, Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 | TMR's approval to interfere with traffic on a state-controlled road (the form cites section 33) |
| Who applies | The person or company doing the activity or owning the structure | A traffic management company registered under TMR's Traffic Management Registration Scheme |
| Lead time | At least 4 weeks | At least 10 business days |
| Applies on | State-controlled roads only. Council roads have their own permits. | |
The rule of thumb: the RCP lets you be there; the TCP lets you affect the traffic while you are. TMR says any potential interruption to traffic flow, pedestrian movements or public transport caused by your activity needs a TCP "in addition to" the RCP, obtained before each activity starts.
Road Corridor Permit
Section 50 of the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 requires TMR's approval to undertake an activity within the boundaries of a state-controlled road, or to locate, construct, maintain, upgrade or operate a structure or thing there. TMR calls these ancillary works and encroachments. Remember the road corridor runs boundary to boundary, so verges, batters and drains are included, not just the traffic lanes.
- Exemptions: some minor things, such as letterboxes and mowing, don't need a permit. The list is set by TMR's Ancillary Works and Encroachments Notice; check it before applying.
- How to apply: through TMR's online portal, Permit for Access to Road and Corridor.
- When: at least four weeks before the activity.
- Insurance and indemnity: TMR asks for $20 million public liability cover and a deed of indemnity. Its page says there's no fee for non-commercial use.
- Other approvals: some work is approved another way, such as through a development approval or a utility approval. Check which applies to you.
Doing road works on a state-controlled road, or interfering with one, without TMR's written approval is an offence under section 33 of the Act.
Traffic Control Permit
A TCP is TMR's permission to implement temporary traffic management on a state-controlled road.
- Permission to occupy comes first. You need the right to be in the road (an RCP, a development approval or a utility approval) before a TCP can be issued.
- Who applies: the TCP is issued to a traffic management company registered under TMR's Traffic Management Registration Scheme, so in practice your traffic management provider applies.
- When: allow at least 10 business days.
- What's attached: the traffic management plan and traffic guidance schemes, insurance, the deed and the company's registration number.
- When you can work: TMR publishes general access times showing when lane closures are generally allowed on busy roads, set out by road section and through-distance range, for each direction. Check them against your chainages early; they can decide whether the job is a day or a night job.
Do I need one, the other or both?
- Working in the corridor with no effect on traffic (for example, behind a barrier with no lane, shoulder or footpath impact): an RCP or other occupancy approval, unless exempt. Usually no TCP, provided there's genuinely no potential effect on traffic, pedestrians or public transport.
- Working in the corridor and affecting traffic (the usual case on narrow shoulders and two-lane highways): both. RCP first, then the TCP.
- Holding approval another way (development approval, utility approval): a TCP still applies if traffic is affected.
- Events on state-controlled roads: talk to TMR and the Queensland Police Service early; events need written approval from the police and the road authorities.
- Council roads: neither TMR permit. Go to the council, unless your traffic management spills onto a state-controlled road (a detour, for example), in which case TMR needs to approve that part.
Not sure who owns the road? See state-controlled road or council road?
The location details to give
Unclear locations are one of the easiest ways to slow an application down. Between TMR's guidance and its forms, here's what's asked for:
| Detail | Notes |
|---|---|
| Road name | The portal takes one state-controlled road per application. Works spanning two roads, such as at an intersection of two state roads, may need two. |
| Road number | Optional in the portal, but include the road section (for example 10A) anyway; it removes ambiguity. |
| Exact location | TMR prefers latitude and longitude, for example from a smartphone, and the portal lets you draw a point, line or area on its map. |
| Start and end | TMR's traffic control application form asks for the start and end location as a cross street or chainage, plus the suburb. |
| Distance from intersections | How far the works are from nearby intersections. |
| Posted speed limit | The speed limit at the works. |
| Photos | Of the site as it is now. |
| Lot/plan or street address | Required as reference points for utility (public utility plant) works. |
| Plans | For structures, plans certified by a registered professional engineer (RPEQ). |
Gathering it all in ten minutes
Most of that list comes from one lookup per point. In Chainage, for the start and the end of the works:
- Tap the point on the map, or search the road and enter a chainage. The card gives the road name, road section, carriageway and chainage.
- Copy coords for the latitude and longitude.
- Read the speed limit: the card shows the nearest surveyed TMR speed sign, and More information adds the current limit from OpenStreetMap.
- Distance from the intersection: tap the intersection too. The difference between the two chainages on the same road section is the distance along the road (an intersection at Ch 12.100 and works starting at Ch 12.450 are 350 m apart).
- Photos and context: open Street View to check the site from your desk, then take current photos when you're there.
Save the start, end and any key points as a chainage range and points in a project, and keep the application documents in the project's Files tab, so everything about the job is in one place. For the traffic guidance scheme itself, see chainage in traffic guidance schemes.
How council roads compare
Each council runs its own process. As an example, Brisbane City Council issues a Temporary Lane/Road Closure Assessment and Certificate through its Road Corridor Permit System. It asks for at least 20 full working days' notice (six weeks for special events) and a TMP and TGS. A full road closure then also needs the police, because only the Queensland Police Service can close a road temporarily. Fees and lead times differ between councils, so check the council's website.
Common reasons for delays
- The wrong authority: a TMR application for a council road, or the reverse.
- An unclear location: a road name with no section, chainage or coordinates, or a vague "near the bridge".
- Lodging late: four weeks for an RCP and ten business days for a TCP are minimums.
- The wrong order: applying for a TCP before you hold permission to occupy the road.
- Missing attachments: no TMP, TGS, insurance certificate or registration number.
Requirements change. Always check TMR's current permit pages and forms before you apply. This article is general guidance, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Road Corridor Permit and a Traffic Control Permit?
A Road Corridor Permit gives permission to carry out an activity or place a structure inside a state-controlled road corridor. A Traffic Control Permit gives permission to disrupt traffic while you do it. If your work affects traffic, you need both.
How long does a TMR Road Corridor Permit take?
TMR asks for applications at least four weeks before the activity. Complex applications can take longer, so apply as early as you can.
Who can apply for a Traffic Control Permit?
A traffic management company registered under TMR's Traffic Management Registration Scheme. Allow at least 10 business days.
Do I need to give chainage on a permit application?
TMR prefers latitude and longitude for the exact location, and its traffic control application form asks for the start and end as a cross street or chainage. Giving the road section, chainage and coordinates together removes any doubt.
Do I need a TMR permit to mow or put in a letterbox?
No. Some minor activities and structures, such as letterboxes and mowing, are exempt from needing a Road Corridor Permit. Check TMR's list of exempt activities for anything else.
Sources
- TMR, Road Corridor Permit and activities exempt from requiring road corridor permits.
- TMR, Traffic control permit, including the application form and general access times.
- TMR, Permit for Access to Road and Corridor portal and its help articles.
- Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 (Qld), sections 33 and 50.
- TMR, Traffic Management Registration Scheme.
- TMR, Traffic management at special events.
- Brisbane City Council, Road closure permits.