What Are On-Road Costs? Additional Costs of New Vehicle Ownership in Australia Explained

You read it all the time in our automotive reviews and news articles, and we’re going to explain exactly what on-road costs are in this article. Essentially, the term “on-road costs” is an all-inclusive term for the additional costs of vehicle ownership, including stamp duty, compulsory third-party insurance (CTP), registration fees, and dealership delivery charges. However, there’s a little more nuance to it than that.

These additional charges apply to any new vehicle sold in Australia, but as they vary by state, we find it difficult to share an indicative drive-away price for new vehicles when we report on them in news articles. It’s why we always use the phrase, “before on-road costs,” but we understand that it can be a little confusing.

If you’re reading this article, then you probably want to calculate exactly how much those on-road costs are when shopping for a new car in Australia. To help, we’re going to outline what these costs amount to below, with help from official government websites, insurance checkers, and dealerships to get to the bottom of these unexpected costs that can make a cheap new car a very expensive one without you even realising.

Stamp Duty

Stamp Duty is the first charge that you’ll have to understand, and it’s a state government charge, so it varies from state to state. Here’s how much you should expect to pay in each state:

Victoria

Stamp duty calculator: State Revenue Office of Victoria Motor Vehicle Duty calculator

Victoria has three different categories for stamp duty, and you’ll have to work out where your car purchase sits in these categories before you work out how much you need to pay.

• Passenger-car rates (from 1 July 2024 – unchanged for 2025-26)
  • Less than $80,567: $8.40 per $200 (approx. 4.2 %)
  • $80,567.01 to $100,000: $10.40 per $200 (approx. 5.2 %)
  • $100,000.01 – $150,000: $14.00 per $200 (approx. 7 %)
  • More than $150,000: $18.00 per $200 (approx. 9 %)
• Concessional passenger cars – Green cars (CO₂ ≤ 120 g/km) and primary-producer cars
  • $8.40 per $200 (approx. 4.2 %) regardless of price
• New non-passenger vehicles (utes, vans, motorcycles, buses, trucks) never registered
  • $5.40 per $200 of value (approx. 2.7 %)

Example 1 (Passenger-car): 2025 BMW M340i xDrive (from AUD$116,900 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $8,190 in Stamp Duty.

Example 2 (Concessional passenger car): 2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid (from AUD$53,990 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $2,268 in Stamp Duty.

New South Wales

Stamp duty calculator: Revenue NSW calculator

Things are simpler (and cheaper) in NSW, where the stamp duty payable on a new car is based on price.

• Passenger-car rates
  • Up to $44,999: $3 per $100 (3 %)
  • More than $45,000: $1,350 + $5 per $100 over $45,000 (5 % on the excess)
• There are no exemptions or concessions for green or electric vehicles in NSW

Example 1 (Passenger-car): 2025 BMW M340i xDrive (from AUD$116,900 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $4,945 in Stamp Duty, which is significantly cheaper than in Victoria.

Example 2 (Passenger car): 2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid (from AUD$53,990 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $1,800 in Stamp Duty, which is significantly cheaper than in Victoria, despite it being eligible for a concession in that state.

Queensland

Stamp duty calculator: Queensland Vehicle Registration Duty calculator

Things get complicated in Queensland, where the light-vehicle duty is cylinder/engine-type based (Schedule 4C, Duties Act 2001).

• Electric/hybrid vehicles: $2 per $100
• 1–4 cylinders, 2-rotor, steam: $3 per $100
• 5–6 cylinders, 3-rotor: $3.50 per $100
• 7 + cylinders: $4 per $100

If the vehicle you purchase is more than $100,000, you will have to add $2 per $100 (doesn’t apply to heavy vehicles >4.5 t GVM) and that makes things very expensive.

Example 1 (Passenger-car more than $100,000): 2025 BMW M340i xDrive (from AUD$116,900 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $6,429.50 in Stamp Duty, which is less than Victoria but more than New South Wales.

Example 2 (Hybrid passenger car): 2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid (from AUD$53,990 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $1,078 in Stamp Duty, which is significantly cheaper than in Victoria and New South Wales because it is a hybrid vehicle.

Western Australia

Stamp duty calculator: Transport WA calculator

Western Australia keeps things simple, and the stamp duty payable is calculated on the weight of the vehicle. It’s important to note that you cop a hefty 6.5% duty if your car is more than $50,000.

• Non-heavy vehicles (≤4.5 t GVM):
  • Up to $25,000: 2.75 %
  • $25,000 – $50,000: from 2.75 % to 6.5 % by formula R = 2.75 + ((value-25,000)/6,666.66)
  • More than $50,000: 6.5 %
• Heavy vehicles (>4.5 t GVM): 3 % duty, capped at $12,000

Example 1 (Passenger-car more than $100,000): 2025 BMW M340i xDrive (from AUD$116,900 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $7,598.50 in Stamp Duty, which is more expensive than in other states, including Victoria, which punishes you for driving a car with poor tailpipe emissions.

Example 2 (Passenger-car more than $50,000): 2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid (from AUD$53,990 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $3,509.35 in Stamp Duty, which is significantly more than in other states, despite it being a green vehicle. The general rule of thumb is don’t buy a car that costs more than $50,000 in Western Australia!

South Australia

Stamp duty calculator: RevenueSA calculator

Stamp duty in South Australia is simple to calculate as the duty is based on purchase price or market value, with two schedules:

• Non-commercial: Rise from 1% for the first $1,00 to 4% once value exceeds $3,000
• Commercial (utes, vans, heavy vehicles): Flat 3%

There are concessions and exemptions available to those with disability, those doing interstate transfers in the same name, etc., but the general thesis is that stamp duty is expensive in South Australia!

Example 1 (Passenger-car more than $100,000): 2025 BMW M340i xDrive (from AUD$116,900 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $4,616 in stamp duty, which is about average for a new car purchase in Australia.

Example 2 (Passenger-car more than $50,000): 2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid (from AUD$53,990 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $2,096 in stamp duty, which is above average for a new car purchase in Australia.

Tasmania

Stamp duty calculator: Tasmanian Government Motor Vehicle Duty calculator

It’s difficult to calculate the stamp duty for a car in Tasmania as the state uses a sliding scale for vehicle purchases.

• Light vehicles (≤4.5 t GVM)
  • Less than $600: flat $20 duty
  • From $600 to $35,000: $3 per $100 (3 %)
  • From $35,001 to $40,000: $1,050 + $11 per $100 over $35 k (taper)
  • More than $40,000: $4 per $100 (4 %)
• Heavy vehicles (>4.5 t GVM): First $2,000 is $20, then 1% on the balance

It’s important to note that EVs and hydrogen vehicles registered from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2023 (and some 2023 sales) are duty-exempt, but that scheme has since ended.

Example 1 (Passenger-car more than $100,000): 2025 BMW M340i xDrive (from AUD$116,900 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $4,676 in stamp duty, which is about average for a new car purchase in Australia.

Example 2 (Passenger-car more than $50,000): 2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid (from AUD$53,990 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $2,160 in stamp duty, which is above average for a new car purchase in Australia.

Australian Capital Territory

Stamp duty calculator: ACT Revenue Office Motor Vehicle Duty calculator

You can trust the ACT to make things difficult, and they’ve introduced a stamp duty that’s based on the vehicle’s emissions. Not only is this difficult to calculate, but it hasn’t increased uptake of EV sales in their state, and they’re falling behind the rest of the country. It’s so difficult to calculate that many owners end up buying their cars interstate.

• Category AAA (Zero-Emission): $2.50 per $100 up to $45,000, then increases
• Category B (131-175 g CO₂/km): $3 per $100 up to $45,000, then increases
• Category D (221 + g): $4.53 per $100 up to $45,000, then increases

It’s worth noting that if you are in the market for an electric vehicle, new zero-emission vehicles and low-emission hybrids still pay $0 duty until 31 Aug 2025.

Example (Passenger-car, C-Rate, more than $100,000): 2025 BMW M340i xDrive (from AUD$116,900 plus on-road costs) with a purchase date of July 1, 2025. Expect to pay $5,467.28 in stamp duty, which is above average for a new car purchase in Australia.

Northern Territory

The NT has made it incredibly easy to understand how much stamp duty you pay on a new car purchase with a flat rate of $3 per $100 (3%) of the dutiable value for all light vehicles.

Compulsory Third-Party Insurance (CTP)

Compulsory Third-Party Insurance (CTP) is another on-road cost that you’ll have to consider when buying a new vehicle in Australia. However, prices can differ from state to state, residential address, and insurer. To make things easy, we’ve provided a brief outline for each state with a link to their official government comparison tool to find the cheapest CTP deal for your circumstances.

NOTE: Victoria (VIC), Western Australia (WA), Tasmania (TAS), and Northern Territory (NT) are all flat-fee states where the CTP is bundled into the vehicle registration, so we haven’t included them below.

New South Wales (NSW)

CTP Calculator: Green Slip Price Check

We also call this the “Green Slip” in NSW, and it’s purchased separately from an insurer of your choice.

Queensland (QLD)

CTP Calculator: CTP Price Check

This is included in your registration fee, but you can choose the insurer. The amount you pay is determined by the vehicle class, on top of your residential address and more. It’s best to use the calculator.

South Australia (SA)

CTP Calculator: CTP Price Check

CTP is at extra cost, and like NSW and Queensland, you can shop around for a CTP insurer through the regulator.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

CTP Calculator: CTP Price Check

This price is set by the insurers, like NSW, South Australia, and Queensland. You can shop around for a cheaper price, but the price is set by the ACT Treasury/MAI Commission, which publishes average risk-premium data and guidelines on how insurers must set prices.

Registration Fees

The vehicle registration fees are simple to calculate as they’re typically a fixed fee across Australian states. Here’s how much you will pay in each state:

Victoria

Estimated cost: $931 (2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid at metro postcode, July 2025 schedule)

Victoria uses a flat total for registration, and the fee includes rego, TAC, and plates.

The current 12-month totals for sedan, station wagon, hatch, or 4WD are as follows:

• Metropolitan area (high risk zone): $930.70
• Outer metropolitan (medium risk zone): $871.30
• Rural (low risk zone): $800.90

Then you have goods carrying vehicles up to 2 tonnes (dual-cab utes, etc.):

• Metropolitan (high risk zone): $931.80
• Outer Metropolitan (medium risk zone): $789.90
• Rural (low risk zone): $652.40

Some concessions are available, and you can find more information at the government website.

New South Wales

Estimated cost: $718 (2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid at metro postcode, July 2025 schedule)

You pay an $82 admin fee, $57 number plate issue fee, plus the motor-vehicle tax in New South Wales, which is calculated by tare weight:

• Up to 975 kg: $270
• 976 – 1,154 kg: $313
• 1,155 – 1,504 kg: $380
• 1,505 – 2,504 kg: $579
• 2,505 – 2,794 kg: $835
• 2,795 – 3,054 kg: $949
• 3,055 – 3,304 kg: $1,039
• 3,305 – 3,564 kg: $1,130
• 3,565 – 3,814 kg: $1,213
• 3,815 – 4,064 kg: $1,304
• 4,065 – 4,324 kg: $1,392
• 4,325 – 4,500 kg: $1,481

Once you’ve paid these fees, you have to pay your CTP.

Queensland

Estimated cost: $726 (2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid at metro postcode, July 2025 schedule)

The fee is calculated in combination with registration, a traffic-improvement fee, and then compulsory CTP, which is extra. The current 12-month totals for private use are as follows:

• EV / 1-3 cylinder: $663.90
• 4-cylinder: $725.55
• 5-6 cylinder: $893.85
• 8 cylinder: $1,076.75

Western Australia

Estimated cost: $898 (2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid at metro postcode, July 2025 schedule)

The base fee is calculated on vehicle mass (light vehicles ≤4.5 t) at $28.64 per 100 kg GVM.

You then pay a $9.50 admin recording fee and the compulsory CTP (Motor-Injury-Insurance) price.

South Australia

Estimated cost: $685 (2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid at metro postcode, July 2025 schedule)

The current 12-month totals for private use are as follows:

• 4-cylinder: $685
• 6-cylinder: $845
• 8-cylinder: $985

Tasmania

Estimated cost: $626 (2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid at metro postcode, July 2025 schedule)

Tasmania uses a flat fee based on weight, engine size, and type of vehicle. More information can be found at the government website.

The current 12-month totals for private-use vehicles are as follows:

• 3-cylinders: $601.66
• 4-cylinders or battery-electric (< 3 t GVM): $625.66
• 5 & 6-cylinders: $667.66
• 7 & 8-cylinders: $744.66
• 12-cylinders: $779.66

Australian Capital Territory

Estimated cost: $1,133 (2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid at metro postcode, July 2025 schedule)

The registration fees for a vehicle in the ACT are extremely confusing. You have to pay the following fees:

• $2.50 per 12-month road safety contribution and rescue fee
• $114.40 establish registration fee (for a brand-new vehicle)
• $58 re-registration fee (for a vehicle previously on the ACT register)
• $31 statement of registration details search fee

Once you’ve done all of that, your registration fee is classed based on emissions, tare weight, and type of vehicle, e.g. a 2025 BMW M340i xDrive falls into emissions category C and has a tare weight between 1505 and 2504 kg, so you pay more. Using the online calculator, it would cost around $1,266.10 to register that vehicle today with the following fees attributed:

• $598.60 – Private usage registration fee, emissions category C, tare between 1505 and 2504 kg
• $32.50 – ACT Registration Road Rescue fee
• $114.40 – Original registration surcharge for motor vehicle
• $393.70 – MAI Insurance for a Private Car
• $2.50 – Road Safety Contribution
• $110.40 – Reg Lifetime Care AND Support Levy for Passenger Vehicle
• $14.00 – Motor Accident Levy for Passenger Vehicle

Registering a vehicle in the ACT is painful, to say the least.

Northern Territory

Estimated cost: $841 (2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid at metro postcode, July 2025 schedule)

Registration fees in the NT are a flat fee based on the size of the engine in your car. You then have to add a registration administration fee of $15 and a number plate fee, but more information can be found at the official government website.

The current 12-month totals for private use are as follows:

• 0 – 500 cc: $672.25
• 501 – 1,000 cc: $723.25
• 1,001 – 1,500 cc: $786.25
• 1,501 – 2,000 cc: $841.25
• 2,001 – 3,000 cc (4-cyl): $841.25
• 2,001 – 2,500 cc ( >4-cyl / >3 L): $854.25
• 2,501 – 3,000 cc: $901.25
• 3,001 – 3,500 cc: $967.25
• 3,501 – 4,000 cc: $1 016.25
• 4,001 – 4,500 cc (typical V8): $1 078.25
• 4,501 – 5,000 cc: $1 129.25
• 5,001 – 5,500 cc: $1 226.25
• 5,501 – 6,000 cc: $1 281.25
• 6,001 – 7,000 cc: $1 372.25
• 7,001 – 8,000 cc: $1 400.25
• Plug-in EV (private, ≤ 4.5 t): $622.25

Dealership Delivery Charges

Dealerships charge a delivery fee to the customer, and it’s often the last thing that you have to consider when calculating the on-road costs of your new vehicle. Of course, the dealership itself will be able to provide you with a “Drive-away” price, but for those playing along at home, this is the final step.

The dealer delivery charge you should expect to pay in each state is between $900-2,000, according to the consumer watchdog. However, be careful, as some dealerships can price a sought-after model much higher than market value by slapping on an exorbitant delivery charge.

It’s always worth negotiating costs like these as they can differ from dealer to dealer.

How Much You Should Expect to Pay

We can’t provide an exact price for on-road costs because it’s like asking how long a piece of string is. However, if we take the 2025 Toyota Camry SL Hybrid (from AUD$53,990 plus on-road costs) and calculate on-road costs for each state, they work out to be as follows.

• New South Wales – approx. $58,850
  • Dealer-delivery ≈ $1,750 (Toyota shows $2,140 list; midpoint used)
  • Stamp-duty $1,887 ( $1,350 + 5 % of value above $45 k for passenger cars)
  • Registration & plates 12 mths $718 (rego $82 + tare-weight tax 1,505-2,504 kg $579 + plates $57)
  • Average CTP Green-Slip $501
• Victoria – approx. $59,060
  • Dealer-delivery ≈ $1,800
  • Stamp-duty $2,343 (4.2 % for passenger vehicles ≤ $80,567)
  • Registration (incl. TAC & plates, metro zone) $930.70
• Queensland – approx. $58,290
  • Dealer-delivery ≈ $1,900
  • Stamp-duty $1,677 (3 % for 1-4 cyl engines)
  • Registration + TIF + CTP (4-cyl, metro) $725.55
• Western Australia – approx. $60,690
  • Dealer-delivery ≈ $2,150
  • Vehicle-licence duty $3,649 (6.5 % for vehicles > $50 k)
  • Licence fee $458.24 (16 × $28.64/100 kg) + admin $9.50
  • Motor-Injury-Insurance premium ≈ $430 (private passenger car, 12 mths, schedule 2024-25)
• South Australia – approx. $58,810
  • Dealer-delivery ≈ $1,950
  • Stamp-duty $2,188 (formula ≈ 4 % of price minus $50)
  • Rego + CTP (4-cyl, metro) $685
• Tasmania – approx. $58,960
  • Dealer-delivery ≈ $2,100
  • Stamp-duty $2,244 (4 % on vehicles > $40 k)
  • Registration + MAIB premium (4-cyl) $625.66
• Australian Capital Territory – approx. $56,870
  • Dealer-delivery ≈ $1,750
  • Motor-vehicle duty $0 – new Category A (≤ 130 g CO₂/km) exempt to 31 Aug 2025
  • Registration package (establishment fee, MAI premium, road-user charge) ≈ $1,132.60
• Northern Territory – approx. $58,770
  • Dealer-delivery ≈ $2,250
  • Stamp-duty $1,687 (flat 3 % on dutiable value)
  • Registration (2.0-3.0 L 4-cyl) $841.25

*All figures are best-estimate averages using official state charges current as of 1 July 2025. Dealer-delivery mid-point assumptions come from typical fees published by industry sources.

Hopefully, this article has helped shed some light on the statement “before on-road costs” that you see across automotive websites in Australia. Ultimately, speaking directly with your dealership is the best way to get a “drive-away price” for any new car you’re buying in Australia.