(1)  The Commission, in special circumstances, may issue a general permit allowing motor vehicles of a group or class specified in the permit to be operated as if they were public passenger vehicles without being registered as such.

(2)  For the purposes of subregulation (1) , special circumstances exist if the vehicles concerned are all registered in another State and the Commission is satisfied –

(a) that the interstate registration of each of the vehicles is substantially equivalent to public passenger vehicle registration and that none of them will be used in Tasmania except for the purpose of providing a public passenger service by –

(i) a person who holds accreditation; or

(ii) a person who, after conducting a single tour with such a vehicle, will remove that vehicle from the State; or

(b) that the vehicles are designed and constructed to carry 13 or more passengers, including the driver, and that none of them will be used in Tasmania except for private purposes.

(3)  A general permit is to be published in the Gazette .

(4)  A general permit may specify any conditions that the driver or person in charge of a vehicle must not contravene while it is operating under the authority of the permit.

(5)  A general permit takes effect on the later of the following days:

(a) the day on which it is published in the Gazette ;

(b) a day specified in the permit, if any.

(6)  A general permit remains in force until it is revoked.

(7)  The Commission, by notice in the Gazette , may revoke a general permit at any time if satisfied that –

(a) the circumstances that justified its issue no longer exist or have changed; or

(b) persons using the permit have seriously or repeatedly contravened the conditions of the permit.

(8)  Before revoking a general permit, the Commission may consider any representations of persons who have –

(a) made use of the permit; or

(b) indicated to the Commission that they intend to make use of the permit.

(9)  A person must not contravene a condition of a general permit applying to that person.

Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 20 penalty units.

(10)  Unless it is sooner revoked, the Commission must review the need for a general permit at least once in each 3 year period.