Reference
Last updated: May 2026
Vehicle licensing, commonly called rego, is the annual fee that keeps your vehicle legal to use on the road. It is mostly made up of the ACC motor vehicle levy plus a licence fee and an admin fee. Diesel and electric vehicles pay more than petrol because of a higher ACC levy component. The figures below are for a standard private passenger vehicle.
RUC Calculator Car Running Cost First Car Total Cost| Vehicle type | 12 months |
|---|---|
| Petrol private passenger vehicle | $172.97 |
| Diesel private passenger vehicle | $241.59 |
| Electric vehicle (EV) | $241.59 |
Fees include GST and the online admin fee. You can also license for 3 or 6 months at a slightly higher total annual cost. The licence fee portion rose on 1 January 2025 and again on 1 January 2026, adding around $25 each time for most vehicles.
| Component | What it is |
|---|---|
| ACC motor vehicle levy | The largest part; funds ACC's Motor Vehicle Account for road injury cover. Higher for diesel and EVs. |
| Licence (rego) fee | Goes to the National Land Transport Fund for roads and transport |
| Admin / processing fee | A small fee per transaction |
The ACC levy discount that electric vehicles previously received ended on 1 July 2025, which is why EVs now pay the same licensing fee as diesel vehicles. A separate cost is the Warrant of Fitness (WOF), typically around $50 to $80 at most garages, required every 6 or 12 months depending on the vehicle's age.
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