Car registration costs in Australia

From a few hundred dollars to over a thousand — that’s how much car registration can cost each year, depending on factors like the car you drive and your location.

It's worth noting that the following figures* are based on a private owner registering a car for a full 12 months. Some states offer three and six-month registration.

NSW

Our most populous state does it differently to the rest. They levy an annual registration fee of $70, then add fees according to the car you drive.

Light vehicles (under 2.5 tonne) are charged a Motor Vehicle Tax according to their mass, starting at $233 for a private vehicle up to 975kg, and going up to $505 for the heaviest of light vehicles at 2.5 tonne.

For reference, a Toyota Camry weighs about 1.5 tonnes and a smaller Hyundai Getz weighs just under 1 tonne.

More information on car registration costs in NSW is available at the state government website.

Before you can register your car in NSW, you need to buy a Green Slip (that is, CTP Insurance) from one of the state's approved providers, like GIO. Both the cost of CTP and your registration fee contribute to the total amount you’ll pay to register your car.

Get a quote for your Green Slip with GIO

Victoria

In the garden state, registration fees and CTP Insurance are lumped together and administered by VicRoads. Fees will vary based on where you live, and the risk assessment associated with that region.

If you have a sedan, station wagon, hatch or 4WD, then annual fees are determined according to your risk zone:

• $876.90 in the high-risk Melbourne metro area
• $820.80 in the medium-risk outer metro area, and
• $754.80 in rural areas, which are deemed low risk.

Head to the VicRoads website for more info.

Queensland

The sunshine state bundles a registration fee, CTP, and a Traffic Improvement Fee into one bundle. A levy is then applied to registration fees depending on the number of cylinders a car has.

Cars powered by electricity are charged at the same rate as a car with one, two or three cylinders; $716.05. A four-cylinder car will cost $793.10, while a V8 is $1,232.10.

Read more about car registration costs in Queensland.

South Australia

In South Australia, you have to enter the details of your car before they’ll tell you how much you have to pay.

But in general terms, they price based on Districts. A four-cylinder car that will be garaged in District One (the highest risk) will cost about $670 for 12 months, while the same car garaged in District Two will cost around $545.

In SA, you can choose from four different government-approved CTP providers, including AAMI.

Learn more about car registration in South Australia.

Western Australia

WA’s Transport division relies on a vehicle's kerb mass (fancy name for weight) to determine registration, or “car license” fee as they like to call it.

A lightweight car like a Hyundai Getz, for instance, will cost $271.80, while a traditional family car like a Toyota Camry will cost $404.40.

The state also charges a Motor Injury Insurance charge (CTP equivalent) which is $479.40 per year for a privately owned vehicle. On top of that, there's an administration fee of $10.30.

More info on WA registration costs is available at the Department of Transport site.

Tasmania

The Apple Isle takes a similar approach as Queensland, basing registration costs on the number of cylinders in your car.

Registration cost for a private car with three cylinders or less is $594.62 a year. The cost rises for anything more than three cylinders to a maximum of $763.62 for a car with 12 cylinders – think AMG Mercedes.

Add to that figure the Tassie Motor Tax which, for the examples above, ranges from $136 to $458.

Then there's the Motor Accident Insurance Board fee (basically CTP cover) which will cost $282 for your average privately owned car.

More info on Tasmania’s car registration costs is available at the state government website.

ACT

The ACT registration fee is broken down into:

• MAI insurance
• a motor accident levy
• a road rescue fee/road safety contribution
• the actual registration fee.

Add it all up and the average cost for a family car can generally be around $1240 a year.

More info is available at the Access Canberra website.

Northern Territory

In the NT, there's a:

• registration fee,
• insurance fee, and
• admin fee.

The registration fee depends on the number of cylinders and your engine size.

So, a four-cylinder car with a 900cc engine will cost $718.25 per annum, while four-cylinders at 2600cc will cost $831.25.

A six-cylinder engine of the same 2600cc will cost $888.25, while a Holden Commodore V8 with 5700cc costs $1252.25.

More info on NT car registration costs is available at the NT government site.

Summing up car registration costs in Australia

It is also important to remember that the cost of registration may change from the figures indicated above. Same applies if you're transferring your registration from another state or territory or registering a car in your name for the first time. And for new cars, there are transfer fees, stamp duty (between two and four per cent of the purchase price) and even a cost for a set of number plates when issued for the first time.

Want personalised number plates with your car as well? This could add a few hundred dollars, in most cases – depending on the state or territory where you live.

A car may also need to be inspected before it is registered if it’s been:

• repaired and returned to the road
• imported from overseas, or
• out of registration for too long.

Yes, there'll be a fee for all the above. And in some states, you need a fresh roadworthy certificate every 12 months to renew your registration.

There’s some good news for concession card holders, though – you'll often get a discount if you have a valid concession card.

Concessions aside, all these add-ons can increase car registration costs and you may want to consider when budgeting for your car.

Compare Car Insurance Options With GIO

Read more:

• A guide to reading your car insurance PDS
• Choosing third party property damage vs. comprehensive car insurance
• What you need to know about managing your Car Insurance policy online

*Information current as at 01/07/2023.

Insurance issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 trading as GIO. Read the Product Disclosure Statement before buying this insurance. Go to gio.com.au for a copy. The Target Market Determination  is also available.