COVID-19: What you can and can't do with your car

UPDATED 22/10/2021 9:00am: The vast majority of the East Coast of Australia has exited the strict lockdown and stay-at-home orders today, following the relaxing of restrictions in Victoria.

Victoria joins New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, which also ended their lockdowns in recent weeks, in winding back harsh restrictions over movement allowing motorists to finally stretch the legs of their vehicles.

Victoria’s major population centre of Metropolitan Melbourne gained the dubious honour of becoming the world’s most locked-down city after millions of residents endured 268 days under lockdown.

Victoria: The 15km travel limit has now been scrapped for metropolitan Melbourne, as has the curfew (5:00am to 9.00pm), meaning residents can now travel throughout metro Melbourne.

There are no longer any stay-at-home restrictions for Victorians.

However, travel to Regional Victoria is still restricted for metropolitan Melbourne residents for now, and vice-versa for those in country Victoria. However, intra-state travel is expected to resume in the coming weeks, when the state hits its next fully-vaccinated target of 80 per cent.

Masks will still be required in most situations outside of the home.

Carpooling is now allowed but the state government frowns upon it. “Where possible, avoid carrying passengers who do not live in your household in your vehicle” states the Victorian government website.

Interstate travel between NSW and Victoria is also now an option. Fully vaccinated people in NSW can travel to Victoria – via car or plane – without requiring to quarantine after the scrapping of ‘red zones’.

However, at the time of writing fully vaccinated people who return to Victoria after travelling into NSW have to stay put for 14 days in a house or dwelling, but are allowed to leave home for food shopping, exercise, work and so forth.

For all the details on what you can and cannot do in Victoria, check out the official Victorian government COVID-10 website and see our story on the roadmap to reducing restrictions.

New South Wales: Following the lifting of its lockdown on October 11, and further freedoms on October 18, residents of Greater Sydney can travel as far as they like, so long as it’s not into regional or rural NSW – and vice-versa for those in regional and rural NSW.

Carpooling is also allowed for fully vaccinated people, but masks have to be worn except for those “in a vehicle alone or with another person from their household,” according to the official guidelines in NSW.

For all the details on what you can and cannot do in NSW check out the official NSW government COVID-19 website or have a look at our story on the roadmap to freedom.

Australian Capital Territory: The ACT came out of lockdown on October 15, removing stay-at-home restrictions and how far residents can travel within the Territory. Carpooling is allowed for fully vaccinated occupants but facemasks can only be removed in a vehicle if the driver is alone or everyone is from the same household. Check out the official ACT government restrictions website for more details on what you can and cannot do.

Travel between the border regions of the ACT and NSW is also permitted for approved border postcodes.

UPDATED 18/10/2021 11:00am: Following the lifting of its long-running lockdown on October 11, which abolished the 5km driving distance or staying within their LGA, residents of New South Wales have now experienced further eased restrictions as vaccination rates continue to climb.

See the official NSW government's COVID-19 rules for more details.

UPDATED 15/10/2021 9:00am: The Australian Capital Territory has ended its lockdown and many of the stay-at-home restrictions. Residents of the ACT can now travel more freely within the territory.

See the official ACT government's current restrictions website for full details.

UPDATED 03/09/2021 10:00am: Residents of Victoria and the ACT are still under strict  stay-at-home orders as part of their lockdowns, but those two states have eased the restrictions slightly in regards to playgrounds. New South Wales restrictions continue virtually unchanged but the plan is to reinstate face-to-face schooling from October 25.

Australian Capital Territory: The ACT has extended its lockdown until at least September 17, 2021, but now allows lower-risk outdoor activities and outdoor gatherings of up to five people, and playgrounds have re-opened. Technically there's no distance limit on where residents can walk, ride or drive, unlike lockdowns in other states that have a 5km or 10km radius from home.

However, ACT chief minister Andrew Barr previously said: "Our general guidance is to stay within your local area" and not to travel across town to get your groceries, etc. Masks still need to worn everywhere outside the home, and the only reasons for leaving home are as follows:

- Shopping for necessary goods and services, like groceries or medical supplies
- Caregiving or compassionate reasons
- Medical care, to get a COVID-19 test or a COVID-19 vaccination
- Authorised essential work
- Exercise (once a day for two hours [up from one hour] within their local region)

New South Wales: The statewide lockdown continues in NSW, with face masks to be worn everywhere except in the home, or when exercising - including regional NSW. The Queensland border remains closed to all but essential authorised workers with at least one vaccine jab, and residents in Greater Sydney can only drive their cars no further than 5km of their home - or within their local government area (LGA) - to exercise or shop for food and essential items.

Everyone in NSW is ordered to stay at home except for the following reasons:

- Shopping to obtain food or other goods and services for the household (one person per day)
- The goods and services must be obtained within the local government area where you live, or within 5km of where you live, but not in an area of concern; unless the goods or services, or their equivalent, are not reasonably available within the local government area where you live, or within 5km of where you live
- To leave home to go to work if you cannot reasonably work from home and the business is allowed to be open and
you comply with relevant rules for COVID-19 tests for Sydney workers
- To leave home for education if it is not possible to do it at home
- Exercise and take outdoor recreation within your local government area or, if you need to cross into another local government area, stay within 5km of your home
- To go out for medical or caring reasons, including obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination

Residents who live in an LGA of concern - listed here on the NSW government website and regularly changing - have a curfew between 9:00pm to 5:00am but exercise that was previously limited to one hour a day is now extended to unlimited time. There are also more stringent rules around certain retailers, with garden centres, hardware stores and others staying closed except for click and collect purchases.

Victoria: Victorian restrictions have eased very slightly as of September 1, with playgrounds (but not skate parks)  now open for children under 12 and one parent. The 5km radius that residents can drive from their home for shopping and exercise will be extended to 10km from around September 23 - or when 70 per cent of the adult population has had one vaccine dose.

Otherwise, the regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne's lockdown rules remain in force, although only metro Melbourne is under a 9:00pm to 5:00am curfew. Victorian residents are under strict stay-at-home orders and are only permitted to leave the home when:

- Shopping for necessary goods and services (within 5km)
- Caregiving or compassionate reasons, including medical care or to get a COVID-19 test
- Authorised work or permitted education
- Exercise (once a day for two hours, within 5km, with one other person)
- To get a COVID-19 vaccination

UPDATED 23/08/2021 11:00am: New rules for the NSW lockdown have come into force, with a curfew for some areas along with new face mask rules, while changes to the Victorian restrictions have closed parks and restricted childcare services. The ACT lockdown continues as COVID-19 cases continue to spread across much of the East Coast of Australia. However, restrictions in Queensland are beginning to ease.

Australian Capital Territory: The ACT had originally planned to end its stay-at-home orders on August 20 but the continuation of COVID-19 cases in the community means the lockdown will continue. See below for the restrictions.

New South Wales: The statewide lockdown continues in NSW, with new restrictions being enacted on August 23, 2021, requiring everyone to wear face masks in public outdoors as well as indoors now, except when exercising - including regional NSW. The Queensland border remains closed to all but essential authorised workers with at least one vaccine jab.

Everyone in NSW is ordered to stay at home except for the following reasons:

- Shopping to obtain food or other goods and services for the household (one person per day)
- The goods and services must be obtained within the local government area where you live, or within 5km of where you live, but not in an area of concern; unless the goods or services, or their equivalent, are not reasonably available within the local government area where you live, or within 5km of where you live
- To leave home to go to work if you cannot reasonably work from home and the business is allowed to be open and
you comply with relevant rules for COVID-19 tests for Sydney workers.
- To leave home for education if it is not possible to do it at home
- Exercise and take outdoor recreation within your local government area or, if you need to cross into another local government area, stay within 5km of your home
- To go out for medical or caring reasons, including obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination

Areas of concern, according to the NSW state government, are now under a curfew between 9:00pm and 5:00am. These 12 Sydney local government areas (LGAs) include Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield and some suburbs in Penrith

Also, residents in the 12 LGAs under harsher restrictions than the rest of NSW are limited to one hour of outdoor exercise per day, whereas other areas across the state do not have a time limit.

The lockdown affecting the Greater Sydney area has been extended until September 30, as the NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has told residents to "bunker down".

Victoria: On Saturday, August 21, regional Victoria joined metropolitan Melbourne's lockdown rules, as infections continue to spread in provincial areas. However, only metro Melbourne is currently affected by newly-introduced curfews, which prohibit leaving the home between 9:00pm and 5:00am every day.

The Victorian state government has closed parks. It has also limited childcare services to authorised workers only.

Victorian residents are under stay-at-home orders and are only permitted to leave the home when:

- Shopping for necessary goods and services (within 5km)
- Caregiving or compassionate reasons, including medical care or to get a COVID-19 test
- Authorised work or permitted education
- Exercise (once a day for two hours, within 5km, with one other person)
- To get a COVID-19 vaccination

UPDATED 16/08/2021 3:00pm: The Australian Capital Territory is still under lockdown as is Victoria and now the entire state of New South Wales has been locked down. Everyone in NSW ordered to stay at home except for:

- Food shopping within 5km of your home (one person only)
- Buying goods and services within 5km of your home (one person only)
- Medical care or compassionate needs, or a COVID-19 vaccination
- Outdoor exercise within 5km of your home
- Work/education, when you cannot work/study from home

A face mask must be carried at all times and worn indoors, except in your personal vehicle or at home.

UPDATED 13/08/2021 10:00am: Canberra is now under lockdown along with much of the east coast of Australia as the COVID-19 'delta' variant continues to spread.

Australian Capital Territory: As of August 12, 2021, all 400,000 ACT residents are now under lockdown for at least a week. Only the second lockdown for the ACT, it is set to end at 5pm on Thursday August 19 and mandates that all residents must stay at home except for the following reasons:

- Shopping for necessary goods and services, like groceries or medical supplies
- Caregiving or compassionate reasons
- Medical care, to get a COVID-19 test or a COVID-19 vaccination
- Authorised essential work
- Exercise (once a day for one hour, within their local region)

Technically there's no distance limit on where you can walk, ride or drive, like the lockdowns in other states that have a 5km radius from home. However, ACT chief minister Andrew Barr said: "Our general guidance is to stay within your local area. If you live in Belconnen, exercise in Belconnen, get your groceries in Belconnen. Do not be travelling across the ACT for exercise or essential supplies."

New South Wales: Following COVID-19 increased infection numbers, three more local government areas (LGA) have been added to the hard lockdown, with stay-at-home orders and 5km radius travel limits for the following LGAs: Canterbury-Bankstown, Liverpool, Fairfield, Cumberland, Blacktown, Parramatta, Georges River and Campbelltown, Bayside, Strathfield and Burwood.

An additional 12 suburbs around Penrith have also been placed into lockdown, including Caddens, Claremont Meadows, Colyton, Erskine Park, Kemps Creek, Kingswood, Mount Vernon, North St Marys, Orchard Hills, Oxley Park, St Clair, and St Marys.

Many regional areas are in lockdown as the virus continues to spread across NSW, with the Northern Rivers, Byron Bay, Tamworth, Armidale, the Hunter region and Dubbo all under strict stay-at-home orders. A number of other regional areas were placed under lockdown until at least August 19, including Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Narromine, Walgett and Warren.

NSW residents in regional and urban areas and LGAs affected by the lockdown are not permitted to travel beyond 5km or 10km/LGA limits and only for four specific reasons:

- Food shopping or other essential goods and services (one person only)
- Medical care or compassionate needs (one person only)
- Exercise (two people [unless members of the same household])
- Essential work/education, when you cannot work/study from home

UPDATED 06/08/2021 9:00am: Victoria is back in lockdown following yesterday's announcement of another 'snap' seven-day lockdown, this time with just three hours' notice. The southern state's sixth COVID lockdown, which sees all Victorians join millions of others in greater Sydney and southeast Queensland currently also in lockdown, commenced at 8:00pm on Thursday (August 5) and is planned to end at 8:00pm next Thursday (Aug 12).

Until then, or potentially longer, Victorians are permitted to leave their homes for one of only five reasons:

- Shopping for necessary goods and services (within 5km)
- Caregiving or compassionate reasons, including medical care or to get a COVID-19 test
- Authorised work or permitted education
- Exercise (once a day for two hours, within 5km)
- To get a COVID-19 vaccination

Victorians may also leave home to visit their intimate partner, their single social bubble buddy, or in an emergency – including those at risk of family violence.

UPDATED 04/08/2021 NOON: NSW and Queensland have added more restrictions to their COVID-related lockdowns as the 'delta' variant of the virus continues to spread, while Victoria has dialed back stay-at-home restrictions as case numbers drop.

New South Wales: As of July 28, COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and stay at home orders have been extended until August 28 in Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour areas.

The hard lockdown also covers eight local government areas (LGAs), including the previously announced Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Blacktown and Cumberland areas. But now the Parramatta, Campbelltown and Georges River LGAs area also under lockdown/stay at home orders, which now mandate tougher rules such as masks outdoors and a 5km radius travel limit.

However, some restrictions have been eased with the introduction of a singles bubble and the resumption of construction sites outside the eight LGAs. The LGAs of Cabonne, Blayney and Orange have now had their lockdown restrictions lifted.

NSW residents in areas and LGAs affected by the lockdown are not permitted to travel beyond 5km or 10km/LGA limits and only for four specific reasons:

- Food shopping or other essential goods and services (one person only)
- Medical care or compassionate needs (one person only)
- Exercise (two people [unless members of the same household])
- Essential work/education, when you cannot work/study from home

Queensland: As of July 31, much of South-East Queensland has been forced into a snap lockdown with a 10km travel limit and stay at home orders in place until 4:00pm on August 8. Residents in the local government areas (LGA) of City of Brisbane, City of Gold Coast, City of Ipswich, Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Logan City, Moreton Bay Region, Noosa Shire Council, Redland City, Scenic Rim Regional Council, Somerset Regional Council and Sunshine Coast Regional Council are bound by the new rules.

Residents of these areas must wear a mask outdoors and can only travel within 10km of their home for four reasons:

- Food shopping or other essential goods and services (rural residents can travel more than 10km if required)
- Health/medical care, or to get a COVID vaccine
- Exercise (two people [unless members of the same household])
- Essential work/education/child care, when you cannot work/study from home

Victoria: The hard lockdown ended July 27 when travel restrictions of 5km were been lifted across the state. However, some restrictions remain, such as masks to be worn everywhere except in the home.

UPDATED 19/07/2021 NOON: New South Wales and Victoria have updated their COVID-related lockdowns and restrictions, with people in parts of Australia's most populous states now under strict orders to stay at home except in certain circumstances.

NSW: As of July 17, residents of the Greater Sydney and the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour are not permitted to travel beyond their Local Government Area and are only allowed to leave home for four specific reasons:

- Food shopping or other essential goods and services (one person only)
- Medical care or compassionate needs (one person only)
- Exercise (two people [unless members of the same household])
- Essential work/education, when you cannot work/study from home

If you live in the Fairfield, Liverpool or Canterbury-Bankstown local government areas, you can only leave the local government area you live in to go to work if (a) the business is allowed to be open and (b) you are an authorised worker.

New car showrooms have been ordered to close their doors as part of the ongoing lockdown in Greater Sydney and surrounding areas. As part of tighter restrictions, cars can only be sold through click and collect arrangements.

However, petrol stations will remain open and car service departments and outlets can operate according to a document released by the Australian Automotive Dealers Association (AADA).

For the full list of lockdown regulations, head over to the NSW government’s official website.

Victoria: As in NSW, new car showrooms have been ordered to close but they can still sell vehicles online, and vehicle servicing and mechanical repair work (including logbook servicing at service departments of car dealerships) can continue operating.

Petrol stations, roadside assistance services, truck stops and roadhouses are also allowed to operate.

Victorian residents can only leave their home for one of five reasons:

- Food shopping or other essential goods and services (one person only)
- Medical care or compassionate needs (one person only)
- Exercise (two people [unless members of the same household])
- Essential work/education, when you cannot work/study from home
- To get vaccinated

The range limitation on exercise and shopping is 5km from home, unless the closest shop is further away. For the full list of lockdown regulations, check out the Victorian government’s official website.

UPDATED 28/06/2021 9:00am: Several states and territories have announced new restrictions on what you can and cannot do with your car from this week, as follows:

Queensland: From 1:00am AEST on June 19, anyone entering the sunshine state by car (or plane) must complete a declaration. Anyone who has been to a COVID-19 hotspot since its identified start date will not be allowed to enter Queensland, unless they are a Queensland resident or have an exemption. Anyone allowed to enter will need to isolate in hotel quarantine.

Northern Territory: From 1:00pm local time on June 27, the local government areas of the City of Darwin, the City of Palmerston and Litchfield entered a full lockdown for 48 hours. People in these areas are only permitted to leave home for medical treatment, essential goods and services, work that is considered essential, for one hour of outdoor exercise a day within 5km of your home with one other person from your house and or to provide care/support to a family member or person who cannot support themselves.

NSW: From 6:00pm on June 26, a lockdown is in place for two weeks for residents of Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Wollongong and the Central Coast, except for a range of "reasonable excuses" including obtaining food or other goods and services, travel for work or education if it is not possible to do it at home, childcare, medical treatment and other legal and compassionate reasons.

The NSW government says taking a holiday is not a reasonable excuse for travel and that leaving a lockdown area for regional or interstate travel can incur a fine of up to $1000 for breaching a public health order. Police will patrol major highways out of Sydney and face masks are compulsory in buses, trains, taxis, share ride providers such as Uber and all indoor public places such as supermarkets and offices.

UPDATED 18/06/2021 11:20am: The Victorian snap lockdown has eased in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria but some restrictions still apply, including the fitment of masks indoors, but no longer outdoors.

The 25km travel distance restriction has been removed for the entire state but those wanting to travel to Victorian alpine resorts require proof of a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of leaving Melbourne.

Some interstate travel is still off-limits to Victorian residents and new COVID-19 cases in New South Wales have seen some states close their borders to the country’s most populous state as well.

UPDATED 27/05/2021: 12:18pm: The VACC advises that servicing and repairs in Victoria can "continue as normal" with a "COVID-safe plan" during the seven-day 'circuit-breaker' lockdown. That means customers are to wear masks and if they attend the premises longer than 15 minutes they must sign in. The VACC recommends to members that they implement a "contactless system" with key boxes or pick-up and delivery from home or the workplace. Dealers can continue to trade, and the service departments are expected to operate in the same way as outlined above for independent workshops. Retailing of vehicles and parts is restricted by the 5km rule (see update below for 11:00am), although customers may travel further if the only dealership is outside that radius. 'Click-and-collect' provisions apply for the purchase of cars or parts.

UPDATED 27/05/2021 11:00am: Following an outbreak of the highly contagious Indian strain of the COVID-19 virus, the Victorian government has imposed a new ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown, effective from 11:59pm, May 27. The lockdown is imposed on all Victorian residents for a full seven days and concludes at 11:59pm, Thursday June 3. As was the case in the past, Victorians are not permitted to travel beyond a 5km radius from home, and are only permitted to leave home for five purposes: work, exercise, shopping for essential household goods, care-giving/compassionate reasons and getting vaccinated. There is no specific mention of automotive retailing or servicing, but the VACC will no doubt issue a statement shortly. In the meantime, it’s expected that visits to dealers are now forbidden.

UPDATED 17/02/2021 11:00am: the Victorian state government has announced its five-day Stage 4 'snap' lockdown will end as planned at 11:59pm tonight, after which Victorians will no longer be restricted to remaining within 5km from home or require four reasons to leave home.

UPDATED 12/02/2021 3:30pm: Victorian state government has announced a five-day Stage 4 lockdown effective from 11:59pm this evening. This re-instates the 5km and four reasons to leave home restrictions.

UPDATED 1/12/2021 12:30pm: New border closures between various states mean that car travel is now prohibited in some cases.

The COVID-19 coronavirus is changing the way people travel and use their cars Down Under.

Some car owners and road users in general are faced with certain regulations that restrict travel but it appears as though the worst is now in the past. However as new outbreaks continue to occur across the country as most of the country opens up, changes to state and territory regulations and border restrictions are constantly changing.

We’ve gathered info from official sources to help you decipher at least a few of the aspects of COVID restrictions as they pertain to vehicles and travel.

These guidelines should not be treated as legal advice and if you need clarification, contact your respective state government information sources.

New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
South Australia
West Australia
Australian Capital Territory
Northern Territory
Tasmania

There are several government websites dedicated to updating the latest COVID-19 restrictions including the nationwide Health Direct portal.

In some states you can drive anywhere such as Tasmania and West Australia, but in other states there are still some restrictions as to where (and how) you can drive.

Carpooling can occur for fully vaccinated people, allowing for multiple occupants who don't live together, but masks have to have worn unless driving alone or with others from the same household.

Queensland
Residents can drive their vehicles anywhere in the state.

Carpooling is now allowed for fully vaccinated people but the state government says it should be avoided. “Where possible, avoid carrying passengers who do not live in your household in your vehicle,” reads the government website. Masks must be worn at all times except when alone in a car or travelling with people from the same household.

South Australia
Residents can drive their vehicles anywhere in the state.

West Australia
Residents can drive their vehicles anywhere in the state.

Australian Capital Territory
Residents can drive their vehicles anywhere in the territory.

Northern Territory
Residents can drive their vehicles anywhere in the territory.

Tasmania
Residents can drive their vehicles anywhere in the state.

A number of states and territories continue to close their borders to non-essential travel due to COVID-19 but as the country's vaccination rates improve, those border restrictions are easing. People who want or need to drive, fly or float interstate can do so in many cases.

There are also some exemptions for cross-border travel in most states, while essential services such as freight vehicles are allowed in most cases. Currently New South Wales and Victoria are deemed as high risk. Check the following websites to see what border restrictions and if quarantine is required:

Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
Norfolk Island

New South Wales
Car dealerships, showrooms and car yards are open and residents can visit these premises to purchase vehicles.

Victoria
Car dealerships, showrooms and car yards are open and residents can visit these premises to purchase vehicles.

Queensland
Car dealerships, showrooms and car yards are open and residents can visit these premises to purchase vehicles.

South Australia
Car dealerships, showrooms and car yards are open and residents can visit these premises to purchase vehicles.

West Australia
Car dealerships, showrooms and car yards are open and residents can visit these premises to purchase vehicles.

Australian Capital Territory
Car dealerships, showrooms and car yards are open and residents can visit these premises to purchase vehicles.

Northern Territory
Car dealerships, showrooms and car yards are open and residents can visit these premises to purchase vehicles.

Tasmania
Car dealerships, showrooms and car yards are open and residents can visit these premises to purchase vehicles.

New South Wales
Car dealerships, car repair shops, tyre services and panel beaters are open and residents can visit these premises to repair and/or service vehicles.

Victoria
Car dealerships, car repair shops, tyre services and panel beaters are open for routine servicing and residents can visit these premises to repair and/or service vehicles.

Queensland
Car dealerships, car repair shops, tyre services and panel beaters are open and residents can visit these premises to repair and/or service vehicles.

South Australia
Car dealerships, car repair shops, tyre services and panel beaters are open and residents can visit these premises to repair and/or service vehicles.

West Australia
Car dealerships, car repair shops, tyre services and panel beaters are open and residents can visit these premises to repair and/or service vehicles.

Australian Capital Territory
Car dealerships, car repair shops, tyre services and panel beaters are open and residents can visit these premises to repair and/or service vehicles.

Northern Territory
Car dealerships, car repair shops, tyre services and panel beaters are open and residents can visit these premises to repair and/or service vehicles.

Tasmania
Car dealerships, car repair shops, tyre services and panel beaters are open and residents can visit these premises to repair and/or service vehicles.

New South Wales
Vehicle licence testing is now open.

Queensland
Vehicle licence testing is open.

South Australia
Vehicle licence testing is open.

West Australia
Vehicle licence testing is open.

Australian Capital Territory
Vehicle licence testing is open.

Northern Territory
Vehicle licence testing is open.

Tasmania
Vehicle licence testing is open.