How much does car registration in Victoria cost?
The cost of registration in Victoria depends on the type of vehicle you’re registering, as well as where you live in the state. As the tables below show, rural areas come with cheaper registration costs. At the other end of the scale, a metropolitan area like the City of Melbourne is classified as a high risk zone, and so the cost of registration is higher.
Car registration costs – light vehicles
If you have a sedan, hatch, station wagon, or SUV, you can pay anywhere from around $800.90 to $930.70 each year, depending on where you live.
Vehicle location | Total registration fee |
|---|---|
Metropolitan area | $958.80 |
Outer metropolitan (medium risk zone) | $897.10 |
Rural (low risk zone) | $824.60 |
Source: Collected in October 2026 from VicRoads.
Car registration costs – vehicles up to 2 tonnes
If you own a goods carrying vehicle up to 2 tonnes like a ute or van, the cost of rego varies from about $652.40 annually in a low-risk, rural zone, through to $931.80 if you’re based in a metropolitan, high-risk zone.
Vehicle location | Total registration fee |
|---|---|
Metropolitan area | $959.90 |
Outer metropolitan (medium risk zone) | $818.60 |
Rural (low risk zone) | $676.70 |
Source: Collected in October 2026 from VicRoads.
For a trailer (including caravans) you can expect to pay $70.54 to register it.
VicRoads also has an online renewal fee calculator which can give you a quote based on your specific details. Just enter your postcode, select the type of vehicle you’re registering, and whether you’re an eligible concession cardholder (e.g., Health Care, Pensioner, or DVA Gold card). The calculator should give you a breakdown of your registration cost including the registration fee, TAC charge, insurance duty, and service fee.
How car registration costs are calculated
Vehicle registration is managed by VicRoads, and in Victoria the cost of car registration is bundled with Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance. So you pay just one amount that covers both car rego and CTP.
That’s different to New South Wales, where motorists can choose their CTP or Green Slip insurance provider, and then pay the premium separately before being able to renew their car’s registration.
VicRoads also takes into account the type of vehicle you own and where you live.
How do I know when my registration is due for renewal?
VicRoads will send you a notice about six weeks before your registration expires, detailing how much it will cost and how you can pay. Motorists can also sign up for a MyVicRoads account and receive reminders via SMS. You must renew your registration on or before the due date so your vehicle can legally be driven.
How does Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance work in Victoria?
CTP insurance is automatically included in the cost of car rego in Victoria, and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) is the sole provider. CTP insurance is a mandatory form of car insurance which all motorists are required to have in order to use Australian roads. It covers your legal liability if you injure or kill someone in a road accident.
The cost of CTP, also referred to as the TAC charge in Victoria, will depend on your car’s body type, intended use, and seating/carrying capacity, as well as the postcode where the car is registered — divided into the same low, medium, and high risk zones used for car registration costs.
The TAC classifies vehicles in Victoria under the following categories:
- Passenger vehicles
- Goods carrying vehicles
- Motorcycles
- Miscellaneous vehicles
- Special use vehicles
Generally speaking, vehicles with a larger seating or carrying capacity or those designed for carrying goods, will pay a higher TAC charge and cost more to register.
Most drivers also choose to take out separate optional car insurance. Depending on your level of cover, this can protect you against financial loss if your car is involved in an accident, is stolen, or is damaged as a result of weather like storms and hail, flooding, or bushfires. In fact, if you’ve borrowed money to pay for your car, your lender may make it a condition of the loan that you have comprehensive cover in place.
Ways to save on car registration costs in Victoria
Car registration can take a considerable bite out of your household budget. But here are two things that might help ease the financial pressure.
- Check if you’re eligible for a discount: Several concessions are available on car rego in Victoria (for eligible Centrelink and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs card holders). These concessions could save 50%-100% on registration fees and 50% on TAC fees.
- Short-term car registration in Victoria: Motorists in Victoria can take advantage of short-term registration, which allows vehicle owners to pay rego over three or six-month periods. It won’t result in direct savings, but fewer fees and spreading the cost of renewing registration across the year can be easier to manage than a single, larger upfront amount.
Transferring interstate car registration in Victoria
If you’re moving to Victoria permanently, you’ll need to change your car’s rego from your former home state/territory to Victorian registration. Some vehicles will also require a roadworthy certificate to be registered in Victoria. This can apply if you’ve purchased a car from an interstate seller, if the rego is cancelled or expired more than three months, or if the car is being registered in a new name.
A roadworthy certificate isn’t normally required if the vehicle is currently registered in your name interstate and is to be registered in your name in Victoria.
Other potential costs for Victorian drivers
Car transfer duty
If you’re buying a car in Victoria, along with the regular car registration fee, you’ll be expected to pay a transfer fee plus motor vehicle duty. This applies if you register a new car or you’ve purchased a used car that you want transferred into your name.
A flat transfer fee of $47.50 applies to most passenger vehicles in Victoria. This is in addition to the transfer duty, and the final cost varies depending on the type of car and its market value. But you don’t have to crunch the numbers yourself, as VicRoads will let you know how much you owe in transfer duty when you register the car in your name.
For an idea of what you could be up for, check out the Motor Vehicle Duty Calculator on the State Revenue Office of Victoria website. Also be sure to transfer the car’s registration into your name within 14 days of the sale or transfer.
Number plate fees
If you opt for standard car number plates in Victoria, you’ll normally pay a one-off fee when the plates are first issued.
This usually applies to new cars, and the cost is either $44.20 for standard size plates or $250 if you choose slimline plates. If your car’s rego plates are damaged or lost, a replacement charge applies.
If you want to personalise your car’s registration number with custom rego plates, expect to pay more. New custom plates can cost upwards of about $640.
