How much is car registration in Victoria?

In addition to the upfront buying costs, cars come with plenty of ongoing expenses, and registration is one of them. We look at how much it costs to register a car in Victoria.

How much does it cost to register a car in Victoria?

The cost of registration depends on the type of vehicle, and where you live.

As the tables below show, rural areas come with cheaper registration costs. At the other end of the scale, the Melbourne metropolitan area 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, station wagon, hatch or 4WD, you can pay anywhere from around $754 to $876.90 each year, depending on where you live.
← Mobile/tablet users, scroll sideways to view full table → 

Source: VicRoads

Car registration costs – vehicles up to 2 tonnes

If you own a goods carrying vehicle up to 2 tonnes, such as a utility or dual cab ute, the cost of car rego varies from about $615.10 annually in a low-risk, rural zone, through to $878 each year if you’re based in a metropolitan, high-risk zone.
← Mobile/tablet users, scroll sideways to view full table → 

Source: VicRoads

For a trailer (including caravans) you can expect to pay an additional $64.94.

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 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 insurer, and then pay the premium separately before being able to renew their car’s registration.

How do I know when my registration is due for renewal?

VicRoads will send out a registration notice in the mail 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 when rego is due via SMS.

You must renew your registration on or before the due date so your vehicle can legally be driven.

Compulsory third party insurance in Victoria

Compulsory third party insurance (CTP) insurance is automatically included in the cost of car rego, and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) is the sole CTP insurance provider in the state.

It’s worth knowing how CTP (or the TAC charge) is calculated by the Commission. It can help you understand your car rego costs in Victoria, as well as how CTP can impact your annual car budget if you’re looking to buy a vehicle.

The cost of CTP will depend on your car’s body type, intended use, and seating/carrying capacity, as well as the postcode where the car is registered: these are divided into the same low, medium and high 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, 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.

Remember, CTP is only designed to offer financial support if someone is hurt or fatally injured in a car accident, regardless of who is at fault. It does not cover the cost of repairing damage caused to your car.

That’s why most drivers choose to take out separate 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 wild weather. In fact, if you’ve borrowed 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

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 Centrelink and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs). These concessions could save up to 50% or 100%.
• Short-term car rego 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 paying less fees upfront and spreading the cost of renewing registration across the year can be easier to manage than a single, larger upfront amount.

Transferring interstate cars to registration in Victoria

If you’re moving to Victoria permanently, you’ll need to change your car’s rego from your former home state to Victorian registration.

Some vehicles will 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 in Victoria

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 $43.70 applies to most passenger vehicles in Victoria. Transfer duty is on top of this, and the final cost varies depending on the type of car and its market value. But you don’t have to crunch the numbers 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, and 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 $40.80 for standard size plates or $185 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 $545.

ZLEV road user charge

ZLEVs are zero or low-emission vehicles that require, and electrical plug-in to recharge. This includes cars that use electric or hydrogen, or plug-in electric-hybrid propulsion systems. Conventional hybrid vehicles (those that aren’t recharged by electrical plug-in) are not classified as ZLEVs. If you have a ZLEV, you may be entitled to a $100 concession on the annual registration fee.

Cover image source: Wellnhofer Designs/Shutterstock.com