The ACT is the only jurisdiction here with a genuinely marginal structure: a per-$100 base rate up to $45,000, then a percentage of only the amount above it. Your rate depends on the vehicle’s CO₂ emissions category.
ACT vehicle registration duty is set by the vehicle’s CO₂ emissions category (AAA to D). A per-$100 base rate applies up to $45,000, and above that a percentage is charged on only the excess — the one genuinely marginal structure among the six.
Lodge the transfer within 14 days of the sale; a late fee applies after that. Standard plates and any remaining registration transfer with the car.
Estimates · general information only — what isn’t modelled.
Rates as at 18 July 2026, from the same engine the calculator above runs.
| ACT rate band | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Category AAA (includes EVs) | Cheapest per-$100 base rate — the full exemption ended 31 Aug 2025 |
| Categories A and B | Mid per-$100 base rates, set by emissions |
| Category C / non-rated | The rate used for most used vehicles |
| Category D | Highest per-$100 base rate |
| Above $45,000 (all categories) | Base amount + a percentage of only the excess |
Source: Access Canberra. Rates verified 18 July 2026; transfer fees verified 5 September 2026.
The ACT duty at common prices, from the same engine as the calculator. Enter your exact price above for the figure on your car.
| Car price | ACT duty | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $317 | 3.17% |
| $15,000 | $475.50 | 3.17% |
| $20,000 | $634 | 3.17% |
| $30,000 | $951 | 3.17% |
| $40,000 | $1,268 | 3.17% |
| $50,000 | $1,707.50 | 3.42% |
| $60,000 | $2,269.50 | 3.78% |
| $80,000 | $3,393.50 | 4.24% |
| $100,000 | $4,993.50 | 4.99% |
| $150,000 | $8,993.50 | 6.00% |
Category C, which is also the rate used for most used vehicles. A category AAA vehicle — including every EV — pays less at every price. On a used car every state charges duty on the higher of the price paid and the market value.
The ACT charges vehicle registration duty by the vehicle’s CO₂ emissions category, from AAA (lowest emissions, including EVs) to D. A per-$100 base rate applies up to $45,000, and above that a percentage is charged on only the amount over the threshold. It is the only genuinely marginal structure among the six states and territories.
About $951 for a category C vehicle, which is the rate most used cars fall under. A category AAA vehicle — including every electric car — pays less at the same price. The figure sits below the $45,000 threshold, so the base per-$100 rate applies to the whole value.
No. The ACT’s full EV stamp duty exemption ended on 31 August 2025. Electric vehicles now sit in emissions category AAA and pay duty like any other vehicle — but AAA carries the cheapest rates of any category, so an EV still costs less in duty than a comparable petrol car.
New vehicles carry a published CO₂ figure that maps to categories AAA through D. Used vehicles that are not rated are charged at the C / non-rated rates, which is why the calculator defaults there for used purchases. Confirm your vehicle’s category with Access Canberra before lodging the transfer.
Before 1 September 2025 an eligible electric vehicle paid no registration duty in the ACT at all. Since then EVs sit in emissions category AAA and pay duty like any other vehicle, but at the cheapest per-$100 rate of any category. The change applies to vehicles registered from that date, not retrospectively.
Because its schedule charges a base per-$100 rate up to $45,000 and then a percentage of only the amount above that threshold. Every other state here applies your rate to the whole value once a threshold is crossed, which is what creates the cliffs in Queensland and Victoria. In the ACT there is no cliff to negotiate around.