RUC rates and transaction fees

RUC rates not changing in July 2021

The government has confirmed that road user charges (RUC) rates will not be changing in July 2021. 

Road user charges information on the Ministry of Transport website(external link)

Road user charges from 1 July 2020

Road user charges (RUC) rates have changed for all RUC liable vehicles.

Check the tables below to see what your new rates will be:

• RUC administration fees
• Distance licences for powered vehicles
• Distance licences for unpowered vehicles
• Distance licences for all terrain cranes
• Distance licences for vintage vehicles
• Distance licences for motor caravans
• RUC rates for distance licences for overweight specialist RUC vehicles
• Distance licences for Type H vehicles
• Additional licences for powered vehicles
• Additional licences for all-terrain cranes
• Additional licences for combination vehicles
• Download our handbook
• Waiver or refund of road user charges

Read the Road User Charges (Rates) Amendment Regulations 2020(external link)

RUC licences for heavy vehicles with a GVM of over 3.5 tonne will expire one month after the rate increase.

This means within one month of a rate change when purchasing a new RUC licence an operator is required to purchase an ‘overlap’ licence that starts from the current hubodometer reading. The end distance of this licence must exceed or be equal to the current licence end distance.

Any unused portion of the current licence is automatically credited against the cost of the new licence.

RUC licences for light vehicles (3.5 tonnes and under) will not expire.

RUC administration fees

An administration fee applies to all types of RUC licence.

Revised RUC administration fees came into effect on 1 November 2014. For more detailed information on the changes to RUC administration fees download the RUC administration fee review guide [PDF, 58 KB] and the RUC administration fee review questions and answers [PDF, 61 KB].

RUC rates for distance licences for powered vehicles (excepting H vehicle types)

RUC vehicle type number	Description and example (images are indicative only)	Weight bands	RUC rate ($ per 1,000km GST inclusive) up to 30 Jun 2020	RUC rate ($ per 1,000km GST inclusive) as of 1 Jul 2020
1	Powered vehicles with two axles (except type 2 or type 299 vehicles)	Not more than 3.5 tonnes	72	76
		More than 3.5 tonnes and not more than 6 tonnes	78	82
		More than 6 tonnes and not more than 9 tonnes	159	167
		Any RUC weight more than 9 tonnes	334	352
2	Powered vehicles with one single-tyred spaced axle and one twin-tyred spaced axle	Not more than 6 tonnes	76	80
		More than 6 tonnes and not more than 9 tonnes	120	126
		More than 9 tonnes and not more than 12 tonnes	163	172
		Any RUC weight more than 12 tonnes	299	315
311 (Bus)	Powered passenger service vehicles with three axles	Not more than 18 tonnes	319	336
		Any weight more than 18 tonnes	392	413
6	Powered vehicles with three axles, (except type 308, 309, 311, 399 or 413 vehicles)	Not more than 12 tonnes	104	110
		More than 12 tonnes and not more than 18 tonnes	338	356
		Any RUC weight more than 18 tonnes	412	434
14	Powered vehicles with four axles (except type 408, 414 or type 499 vehicles)	All RUC weights	413	435
19	Powered vehicles with five or more axles (except type 599 vehicles)	All RUC weights	369	389
308	Towing vehicles with three axles that are part of a combination vehicle with a total of at least 8 axles	All RUC weights	409	431
408	Towing vehicles with four axles that are part of a combination vehicle with a total of at least 8 axles	All RUC weights	381	401
309	Towing vehicles with three axles that are part of a combination vehicle with a total of at least 9 axles	All RUC weights	329	346

RUC rates for distance licences for unpowered vehicles

RUC vehicle type number	Description	Weight bands	RUC rate ($ per 1,000km GST inclusive) up to 30 Jun 2020	RUC rate ($ per 1,000km GST inclusive) as of 1 Jul 2020
24	Unpowered vehicles with one axle	All RUC weights	120	126
28	Unpowered vehicles with two axles (except vehicle types 29, 30 and 929)	Not more than 10 tonnes	46	48
		Any RUC weight more than 10 tonnes	295	311
29	Unpowered vehicles with two twin-tyred, or single large-tyred close axles, (except vehicle type 929)	Not more than 10 tonnes	39	41
		Any RUC weight more than 10 tonnes	132	139
30	Unpowered vehicles with two twin-tyred spaced axles	Not more than 10 tonnes	39	41
		Any RUC weight more than 10 tonnes	222	234
33	Unpowered vehicles with three twin-tyred, or single large-tyred, close axles (except vehicle type 939)	All RUC weights	177	186
37	Unpowered vehicles with three axles, (except vehicle types 33 and 939)	Not more than 10 tonnes	42	44
		Any RUC weight more than 10 tonnes	302	318
43	Unpowered vehicles with four axles	All RUC weights	226	238
951	Unpowered vehicles with five or more axles	All RUC weights	170	179
929	Leading trailer with two twin-tyred, or single large-tyred, close axles	All RUC weights	96	101
939	Leading trailer with three twin-tyred, or single large-tyred, close axles	All RUC weights	64	67

RUC rates for distance licences for all terrain cranes**

**An all-terrain crane is a non-load-carrying self-propelled vehicle designed solely or principally for lifting objects using a boom with lifting gear and with a tyre contact area of more than 1500cm² per tyre.

RUC rates for distance licences for vintage vehicles*

*A vintage powered vehicle means a motor vehicle that is more than 40 years old on the date that it is registered, reregistered or licensed, and is not used for commercial purposes.

+Note: a vintage powered vehicle with two axles and a RUC weight of 12 tonnes or less remains a RUC vehicle type 1.

RUC rates for distance licences for motor caravans*

* A motor caravan is a motor vehicle that:

1. has more than one-half of the vehicle floor area permanently fitted out for accommodation by the inclusion of sleeping and cooking facilities; and
2. is registered as a motor caravan on the register of motor vehicles maintained under section 234 of the Land Transport Act 1998.

but does not include a combination vehicle.

RUC rates for distance licences for overweight specialist RUC vehicles

RUC rates for distance licences for type H vehicles

These licences substitute for the standard type licences for the powered vehicles. They are to be used in combination with the appropriate standard licences for the related trailers.

RUC rates for additional licences for powered vehicles

Additional licences must be purchased for any vehicle operating on an overweight permit. The weights shown refer to the amount of additional weight allowed under the permit.

These licences are in addition to the standard licences that must also be carried by the vehicles concerned at all times.

Rates of road user charges for additional licences for powered RUC vehicles ($ per km GST inclusive)

New rates as of 1 July 2020

RUC rates for additional licences for all-terrain cranes

Additional licences must be purchased for any vehicle operating on an over-weight permit. The weights shown refer to the amount of additional weight allowed under the permit.

These licences are in addition to the standard licences that must also be carried by the vehicles concerned at all times.

Rates of road user charges for additional licences for all-terrain cranes ($ per km GST inclusive)

New rates as of 1 July 2020

RUC rates for additional licences for combination vehicles

Additional licences must be purchased for any combination vehicle operating on an over-weight permit. The weights shown refer to the amount of additional weight allowed under the permit. These licences are in addition to the standard licences that must also be carried by the vehicles concerned at all times.

Charges for additional licences for combination vehicles ($ per km GST inclusive)

New rates as of 1 July 2020

Download our handbook

Download our 2018 handbook about RUC vehicle types, weight bands and rates [PDF, 1.5 MB]

Waiver or refund of RUC

Under section 33 of the Road User Charges Act 2012, the Transport Agency (as RUC collector) may waive or refund road user charges if satisfied that the vehicle will, or is likely to pay, excessive road user charges.

In deciding whether to waive charges, the Transport Agency may only consider the road wear that is likely to be caused by the owner's RUC vehicle.

Applications under section 33 will generally be considered where the axle configuration or the wheel type and/or tyre size differ from the norm for the allocated RUC vehicle type. Even when these do differ, a waiver or refund will not necessarily be applied.

Certain factors will not usually be considered under section 33. These include:

• whatever sits above the vehicle chassis – unless there are legal limitations that apply to whatever sits above the vehicle chassis

• the purpose for which a vehicle is used

• the fact that a vehicle operates in the lower part of, or below, its allocated weight band. (The rates in the new legislation are set for an average of the weight band and are intended to apply to all vehicles within a band regardless of the actual weight.)

• the age of a vehicle and/or the fact that it always travels unladen.

The Transport Agency has absolute discretion in its decision to waive part of the road user charges under section 33.

Once a decision is made, there is no ability to apply for a review of that decision. You may seek a judicial review with the High Court. If you choose to do this it is advisable to seek legal guidance.