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Stamp duty on a new car, state by state

Checked against the official sources on 20 October 2026.

Stamp duty is a state tax you pay when a car is first registered in your name. Each state and territory sets its own rate. On a $50,000 petrol car the duty runs from $1,500 in QLD to $3,250 in WA.

This guide covers a new passenger car bought for personal use. Used cars, utes and work vehicles can have other rates. The revenue office in your state lists them.

What the duty is charged on

The duty is worked out from the price of the car with GST. That price includes dealer delivery and any options you add. It leaves out rego and compulsory third party (CTP) insurance.

How each way of paying handles it

The duty is the same whether you lease, borrow or pay cash. What changes is when the money leaves your account.

Duty on a $50,000 car

The table shows the duty on a new car priced at $50,000 with GST, registered on 20 October 2026. Electric cars and hybrids pay less in some states. The biggest gap is in NT, where an electric car pays $1,500 less than a petrol one.

StateElectricPlug-in hybridHybridPetrol or diesel
NSW$1,600$1,600$1,600$1,600
VIC$2,100$2,100$2,100$2,100
QLD$1,000$1,000$1,000$1,500
SA$1,940$1,940$1,940$1,940
WA$3,250$3,250$3,250$3,250
TAS$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000
ACT$1,325$1,422$1,519$1,611
NT$0$0$1,500$1,500

How the duty grows with the price

Many states charge a higher rate on a dearer car. Some switch to the higher rate on the whole price once it passes a line. One extra dollar of price can then add hundreds of dollars of duty.

Petrol car$30,000$50,000$80,000$120,000
NSW$900$1,600$3,100$5,100
VIC$1,260$2,100$3,360$8,400
QLD$900$1,500$2,400$6,000
SA$1,140$1,940$3,140$4,740
WA$1,050$3,250$5,200$7,800
TAS$900$2,000$3,200$4,800
ACT$900$1,611$3,177$6,377
NT$900$1,500$2,400$3,600

Close to a line, check the price with options and delivery. Leaving out one option can take the car below the line and cut the duty with it.

The rules in each state

Each rule below is the one the calculator uses. Where a state has announced a change, the new rule is listed too.

New South Wales (NSW)

  • Any car: $3 per $100 up to $45,000, then $5 per $100 above $45,000.

Source: Revenue NSW: motor vehicle duty

Victoria (VIC)

  • Green car (120 g/km CO2 or less, electric and most hybrids): $8.40 per $200 at any price.
  • Other car, on the whole price: $8.40 per $200 up to $80,809, then $10.40 per $200 up to $100,000, then $14 per $200 up to $150,000, then $18 per $200 above.

Source: SRO Victoria: motor vehicle duty current rates

Queensland (QLD)

  • Electric or hybrid: $2 per $100 up to $100,000, $4 per $100 on the whole price above.
  • 4 cylinders assumed: $3 per $100 up to $100,000, $5 per $100 on the whole price above.

Source: Queensland Government: vehicle registration duty rates

South Australia (SA)

  • Non-commercial car, at least $5: $1 per $100 up to $1,000, then $2 per $100 up to $2,000, then $3 per $100 up to $3,000, then $4 per $100 above.

Source: RevenueSA: stamp duty rates for vehicles

Western Australia (WA)

  • Any car: 2.75% up to $25,000. $25,000 to $50,000: R% of the whole price, R = 2.75 + (price - $25,000) / 6666.66, rounded to 2 decimals. 6.5% above.

Source: WA Government: vehicle licence duty

Tasmania (TAS)

  • Any car, at least $20: $3 per $100 up to $35,000, then $11 per $100 up to $40,000. Above that $4 per $100 on the whole price.

Source: SRO Tasmania: rates of duty

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

  • Category AAA, zero emissions: $2.50 per $100 up to $45,000, then $4 per $100 up to $80,000, then $8 per $100 above.
  • Category AA, 1 to 65 g/km, usual for a plug-in hybrid: $2.67 per $100 up to $45,000, then $4.41 per $100 up to $80,000, then $8 per $100 above.
  • Category A, 66 to 130 g/km, usual for a hybrid: $2.84 per $100 up to $45,000, then $4.81 per $100 up to $80,000, then $8 per $100 above.
  • Category B, 131 to 175 g/km, usual for a small petrol car, to 31 January 2027: $3 per $100 up to $45,000, then $5.22 per $100 up to $80,000, then $8 per $100 above.
  • Category B, 131 to 175 g/km, usual for a small petrol car, from 1 February 2027: $3.25 per $100 up to $45,000, then $5.59 per $100 up to $80,000, then $8 per $100 above.

Source: ACT Revenue Office: motor vehicle duty

Northern Territory (NT)

  • Electric or plug-in hybrid registered by 30 June 2027: 3% of the price above $50,000. Rego is also free, CTP is still paid.
  • Other cars: 3% of the price.

Source: NT Government: EV registration and stamp duty concessions

Which group your car falls in

Some states look at more than the price. Your car's own details decide the rate:

The calculator picks the usual group for each car type. ACT: electric AAA, plug-in hybrid AA, hybrid A, petrol B. QLD petrol: 4 cylinders. VIC: electric cars and hybrids count as green cars, petrol does not. Your car may sit in another group. Its CO2 figure is on the Green Vehicle Guide.

Before you sign

Try your own numbers in the calculator

Sources