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Motor vehicle duty

Motor vehicle duty is a tax you pay when you:

  • establish registration of a new vehicle
  • transfer registration of a vehicle to a new person/s or corporation.

The amount you need to pay is based on the vehicle's market value or purchase price, whichever is greater.

Access Canberra collects motor vehicle duty and processes exemptions on behalf of the ACT Revenue Office for most transactions.

Some exemptions and refunds (for example, charitable organisations and repossession of stolen motor vehicles) are processed directly by the ACT Revenue Office.

Visit the ACT Revenue Office website to:

  • read about vehicle types, rates of duty, duty exemptions and what is included in the dutiable value
  • use a calculator to find out how much you’ll need to pay.

Duty exemptions

Duty is not payable on an application to register a non-motorised caravan or camper trailer.

Duty for all other vehicles is calculated using a standard method, unless exempt.

For more information on motor vehicle duty exemption types visit the ACT Revenue Office website.

You can apply for an exemption at Access Canberra if any of the following apply to you and you can provide evidence to support the exemption.

Forms are provided and processed at Access Canberra Service Centres.

  • Foreign countries
  • Government vehicles (Territory, State, Commonwealth)
  • Hospitals and schools
  • Certain disabled persons
  • Successors of deceased persons
  • Vehicles transferred pursuant to certain personal relationships
  • Organisations registered under the Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Commonwealth)
  • Repossessed motor vehicles
  • International organisations and diplomatic staff (under Commonwealth legislation)
  • A veteran, vintage or historic vehicle which will display VVH plates.

Zero and low emission vehicles

Duty exemptions are available for some zero and low emission vehicles.