From a few hundred to over a thousand dollars – that’s how much it can cost to register your car each year, depending on the type of car you drive and where you live.
The following figures* are based on the assumption that the private owner registers the car for the full 12 months. Some states offer registration for three or six months.
NSW
Our most populous state is different from all the others. They charge an annual registration fee of $68 and then add additional fees depending on the type of vehicle you drive.
Light vehicles (up to 2.5 tons) pay road tax based on their weight, ranging from $221 for a passenger vehicle up to 975 kg to $479 for light vehicles over 2.5 tons.
By comparison, a Toyota Camry weighs approximately 1.5 tons and a small Hyundai Getz weighs less than one ton.
For more information on the cost of registration in New South Wales, visit the State Government website.
Before registering a vehicle in New South Wales, you must purchase a green certificate (i.e. CTP insurance) from one of the government approved providers. Both the cost of the CTP and the registration fee contribute to the total amount you must pay to register your vehicle.
Victoria
In the Garden State, tuition fees and CTP insurance are bundled and administered by VicRoads. Rates vary depending on where you live and the risk index for each region.
If you have a sedan, van, utility or four-wheel drive car, annual rates are based on your risk zone:
- $845.90 in the Melbourne risk zone.
- 790.90 in the outer metropolitan medium-risk zone, and
- 726 in rural areas considered low risk.
For more information, visit the VicRoads website.
Queensland
The Sunshine State combines registration, public transport and transport improvement fees into one package. An additional fee is then charged on top of the registration tax based on the number of cylinders in the vehicle.
Electric vehicles pay the same rate as one-, two- or three-cylinder vehicles, $678.65. A four-cylinder car costs $751.35 and an eight-cylinder car costs $1,165.50.
South Australia
In South Australia, you have to enter your car’s details before they will tell you how much you will have to pay.
In general, however, costs vary by area. A four-cylinder car stored in the first region (the riskiest) will cost approximately $650 for 12 months, while the same car in the second region will cost approximately $530.
In South Africa, there is a choice of four different government-approved CTP providers, including AAMI.
Western Australia
The Washington State Transport Authority sets the vehicle registration or licensing fee based on the vehicle’s curb weight (which is a nice name for weight).
For example, a small car like a Hyundai Getz costs $245.60, while a traditional family car like a Toyota Camry costs $368.40.
The State also charges a motorist liability insurance fee (equivalent to the CTP) of $457.55 per year for a private vehicle. There is also an administrative fee of $10.30.
More information on registration costs in WA can be found on the Department of Transport website.
Tasmania
Apple Island takes a similar approach to Queensland, setting registration fees based on the number of cylinders in the vehicle.
The registration fee for a car with three or fewer cylinders is $544.51 per year. The cost increases for all vehicles with more than three cylinders to a maximum of $694.51 for a vehicle with 12 cylinders, such as a Mercedes AMG.
To this must be added Tassie’s vehicle tax, which ranges from $121 to $405 for the above examples.
To this must be added the automobile accident insurance fee (basic CTP coverage), which costs USD 282 for an average car.
For more information on vehicle registration costs in Tasmania, visit the State Government website.
ACT
The ACT registration fee is apportioned as follows:
- CTP Insurance
- CTP regulatory fee
- Roadside assistance/care and maintenance fee
- road safety contribution, and
- the actual registration fee.
- The average cost of a family car is typically around $1,140 per year.
For more information, visit the Access Canberra website.
Northern Territory
In NSW there are:
- Registration fee,
- Insurance fee, and
- Administration Fee.
The registration fee depends on the number of cylinders and engine size.
For example, a four-cylinder car with a 900cc engine costs $677.75 per year and a four-cylinder car with a 2600cc engine costs $781.75.
A 2600cc six-cylinder engine costs $833.75 and a 5700cc Holden Commodore V8 costs $1168.75.
For more information on vehicle registration fees in the Northern Territory, visit the Northern Territory Government website.
Summary of vehicle registration costs in Australia.
It is also important to note that registration costs may differ from the above figures. The same applies if you are transferring your registration from another state or territory, or if you are registering a vehicle in your own name for the first time. In the case of new cars, you have to pay re-registration fees, stamp duty (between 2 and 4% of the purchase price) and even initial registration fees for license plates.
Would you like to have personalized plates for your car? Depending on the state or territory you live in, in most cases this can cost a few hundred dollars more.
It may also be necessary to have a vehicle inspected before registering it if it has already been
- been repaired and put back on the road, or
- imported from abroad, or
- has not been on the registry for a long time.
- Yes, there is a fee for all of the above. And in some states a new MOT certificate is required every 12 months to renew the registration.
However, there is good news for discount card holders: they often get a discount if they have a valid discount card.
Discounts aside, all of these additional services can add to the cost of registering a vehicle and should be taken into account when planning your budget.
