How to report a pothole in Victoria

Step 1: work out who looks after the road

Victoria's roads are split between two kinds of road authority, and each one can only fix its own roads.

• The Department of Transport and Planning (Transport Victoria, which used to be VicRoads) manages freeways and arterial roads: the main through-roads like highways and big suburban roads.
• Your local council manages local streets, which is most of the roads in any suburb.

If you're not sure, check your council's Register of Public Roads, which lists the roads it is responsible for. Many councils also have a map showing arterial roads. When in doubt, report it to your council. They'll pass on reports about roads they don't manage.

Step 2: report it

1. Main road or freeway: use the "Report a road issue" form on the VicRoads website, or call 13 11 70 for urgent hazards.
2. Local street: use your council's online request form or call its customer service line. Search for your council's name plus "report a pothole".
3. Not sure, or on the go: the free Snap Send Solve app lets you take a photo, drop a pin and send the report to the responsible authority.

Step 3: include the right details

A good report gets fixed faster. Include:

• The exact location: street address, nearest house number, intersection or landmark.
• Which lane, and which direction of travel.
• Roughly how big and deep it is.
• A photo, if you can take one safely. Never stop in traffic to get it.
• Your contact details, in case they need to follow up.

Councils set their own response times in their Road Management Plan. Some, for example, aim to inspect and make a reported pothole safe within a couple of business days, with a full repair scheduled later depending on how risky it is.

If a pothole damaged your car

You may be able to claim compensation from the road authority, but it's worth knowing the rules before you start.

• Main roads and freeways: lodge a Notice of Incident and Claim with the Department of Transport and Planning through the claims page on vic.gov.au. You can request a paper form on 13 37 78.
• Local streets: contact the council that manages the road and ask for its claims process.

There is a threshold. Under Victoria's Road Management Act 2004, road authorities aren't liable for property damage at or below a threshold amount, which is $1,681 for 2026–27 and rises with inflation each year. If your damage costs more, the threshold amount is taken off what you're paid. It doesn't apply to personal injury claims.

Claims are often knocked back if the authority can show it was inspecting and repairing the road as its Road Management Plan requires. The Department also can't pay where your insurance has covered the damage, although out-of-pocket costs such as your excess may still be claimable.

Gather evidence early: photos of the pothole and the damage, the exact location, date and time, repair quotes or invoices, and a copy of any report you made.

Why it's worth reporting

Road authorities rely on reports from the public to find damage between inspections. A pothole that has been reported is far more likely to be fixed quickly, and a record of reports can matter if someone later makes a claim. It takes two minutes and might save the next driver a tyre.