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Registration is one of the most expensive parts of owning and running a car in Australia – here are some tips to help you save.
If you get that sinking feeling when your rego bill arrives in the mail, you’re not alone.
RELATED: Discount registration for historic vehicles in Australia: Everything you need to know
The recent Transport Affordability Index from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) found Australians spent an average of $1600 per year on registration, CTP, and licensing costs in 2023.
Surprisingly, the Australian Capital Territory was the most expensive state/territory to register your car, costing a whopping $2174 for registration, CTP and licensing annually.
If you’ve noticed your rego costs creeping up recently, here are some creative ways to pay less.
1. Drive an electric car
Many states still offer rego discounts for electric cars and even plug-in hybrids.
Victoria offers a $100 registration discount every year if you drive a light or zero-emissions vehicle, and Queensland EV owners also cop a 33 per cent discount on their rego.
To get the most bang for your buck when driving an EV, South Australia offers three years of free registration (claimable until June 30, 2025), while the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory both have zero registration fees if you drive a zero-emissions car.
2. Apply for pensioner rego concessions
Being older pays. You read that right – simply being 60 years old or over (65 in NT and WA) means you can apply for your pensioner’s card and score some excellent concessions.
As a pensioner in NSW, you do not have to pay registration, the motor vehicle tax or conditional registration fees.
In Victoria, you get a 50 per cent discount on your rego. South Australian pensioners also get 50 per cent off rego and waive the stamp duty on CTP.
Queensland pensioners pay a flat rego fee of $98.25, while the NT’s flat rate is $154.
In NSW, you also get big discounts on your mandatory CTP insurance for being an experienced driver and holding your licence for decades.
3. Own a car over 25 years old
Club, historic, and conditional rego are not new to enthusiasts. However, if you own a car over 25 years old that you’re not driving frequently, it might be a good idea to put it on club rego.
Club rego in South Australia and Victoria allows you to sign up your over-25-year-old car to a car club. In Victoria, you pay just $201 for your rego, logbook and new plates. After this, your yearly fees will be under $200.
In South Australia, it depends on your car, but the average is $85 annually.
You can only drive the car for 90 days a year, but it’s perfect for those who don’t drive their old cars frequently.
In WA, NSW, Queensland, and Tasmania, the car has to be over 30 years old, but it’s a process/cost similar to Victoria, with your CTP included in the rego.
NSW limits you to 60 days of personal use, while Tasmania gets 104 days, WA gets 30 days or 60 club days, and Queensland has guidelines that only allow you to use the car in club events/rallies.
4. Be aware of your state’s rego calculations
Each state has rego discounts based on variables that may or may not be out of your control.
In New South Wales and Western Australia, the weight of your car is factored into your registration cost. Owning a lighter car will get you cheaper registration.
Victoria charges you based on where you live, with metropolitan areas being the most expensive, outer metro being slightly cheaper and rural being the cheapest.
Queensland bases its rego fees on the number of cylinders in your car – the categories are one to three cylinders, five to six cylinders, seven to eight cylinders, and nine to 12 cylinders.
South Australia takes into account where you live, what kind of car you drive, its weight, and its number of cylinders. If you live in the city and drive a dual-cab V12 ute, you’ll pay the most in registration.
Both Tasmania and the Northern Territory are the simplest in terms of rego costs; you pay based on your engine size and how many cylinders the engine has.
The post How to save hundreds of dollars on your rego appeared first on Drive.
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