Australia Car Tax Calculator 2026

Australians often search for road tax or car tax, but light vehicles do not use a UK-style annual Vehicle Excise Duty. The costs that matter at purchase are usually:

• Stamp duty (motor vehicle duty / vehicle licence duty) — paid to your state or territory when you register or transfer the vehicle.
• Luxury Car Tax (LCT) — a federal ATO tax on higher-priced new and near-new cars.
• Registration and CTP (green slip / TAC / MAIB equivalents) — required to keep the car legal on the road.
• GST — usually already included in the advertised vehicle price.

This page estimates a drive-away style total: GST-inclusive vehicle price + stamp duty + optional LCT + indicative rego/CTP. Always confirm with your state revenue office and the ATO before you buy.

Stamp duty is the biggest state difference. Schedules change with vehicle type, price band, engine configuration (Queensland), emissions (ACT / Victoria green cars), and whether the vehicle is new or used.

For used vehicles, dutiable value is often the higher of purchase price and market value. Dealers may organise duty at delivery; private buyers usually pay at transfer.

New South Wales: passenger duty is simple but jumps at $45,000. Only the excess above $45,000 is charged at the higher 5% band ($5 per $100). NSW’s EV stamp-duty exemption has ended — EVs generally pay standard passenger rates.

Victoria: duty is calculated per $200 (or part) of value. Ordinary passenger cars move through higher per-$200 rates as price rises past the LCT-aligned threshold, $100,000 and $150,000. Green passenger cars (combined CO₂ ≤ 120 g/km, including pure EVs) stay on $8.40 per $200 at any price. New commercial / ute-style vehicles can use a lower non-passenger rate.

Queensland: duty depends on cylinders / rotors or hybrid-electric status, and whether value is above $100,000. Hybrids and electrics sit on the lowest tier. Select the engine field in the calculator for a closer estimate.

• ACT buyers should pick the correct emissions category (AAA for ZEVs).
• WA duty rises sharply toward 6.5% once value exceeds $50,000.
• SA commercial (goods) vehicles use a different, usually lower schedule than passenger cars.

Luxury Car Tax is a federal tax administered by the Australian Taxation Office. It applies at 33% on the GST-exclusive excess above the threshold for cars with a GST-inclusive LCT value over that threshold.

From 1 July 2025, fuel-efficient means combined fuel consumption of ≤ 3.5 L/100 km (previously 7 L/100 km). The calculator uses:

(LCT value − threshold) × 10/11 × 33%

LCT is generally remitted by the supplier and is often already embedded in a dealer’s advertised drive-away price. If your entered price already includes LCT, uncheck the LCT option so you do not double-count.

• “Australia has road tax like the UK.” For normal cars, no. Budget stamp duty at purchase plus ongoing registration and CTP. Heavy vehicles can face a separate federal Road User Charge via fuel.
• “Stamp duty is the same everywhere.” False — NSW, VIC, QLD and WA alone use four different engines.
• “EVs always skip stamp duty.” NSW’s EV exemption ended. Victoria offers a green rate; ACT uses emissions categories; QLD hybrids/EVs use the lowest duty tier.
• “LCT is 33% of the whole car.” Only the GST-exclusive amount above the ATO threshold is taxed at 33%.
• “Private sale price on the contract is always the duty base.” Many states use the higher of price and market value.
• “GST is added again on top of drive-away.” Most advertised prices are already GST-inclusive; duty is usually calculated on that value.

These examples isolate stamp duty only (not LCT, rego or CTP). Exact figures depend on rounding rules and vehicle class — run the calculator above for your state.

For a $95,000 new car, also check LCT: above the $80,809 “other vehicles” threshold, LCT can add several thousand dollars unless the car qualifies as fuel-efficient under the higher $91,661 threshold — or unless LCT is already inside the dealer price.

Use the form above with your exact price, state, and options for a full drive-away breakdown.