RUC rates and transaction fees

Road user charges from 1 October 2018

Road user charges (RUC) rates have changed for most powered and unpowered vehicles from 1 October 2018.

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
• Distance licences for Type H vehicles
• Additional licences for powered vehicles
• Additional licences for all-terrain cranes
• Additional licences for combination vehicles
• Download our leaflet
• Waiver or refund of road user charges

Additional RUC rates haven't change, and most H vehicle type rates also haven't change.

Read the Road User Charges (Rates) Amendment Regulations 2018(external link)

Find out more about increases to petrol excise duty and road user charges(external link)

RUC licences that will expire one month after the rate increase

If the RUC rate for your heavy vehicle is increasing, your RUC licence will expire one month after the date of the increase. If the rate for your vehicle is not increasing, your licence will not expire. 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 1000km GST inclusive) up to 30 Sep 2018	RUC rate ($ per 1000km GST inclusive) as of 1 Oct 2018
1	Powered vehicles with two axles (except type 2 or type 299 vehicles)	Not more than 3.5 tonnes	62	68
		More than 3.5 tonnes and not more than 6 tonnes	68	74
		More than 6 tonnes and not more than 9 tonnes	138	151
		Any RUC weight more than 9 tonnes	291	317
2	Powered vehicles with one single-tyred spaced axle and one twin-tyred spaced axle	Not more than 6 tonnes	66	72
		More than 6 tonnes and not more than 9 tonnes	104	114
		More than 9 tonnes and not more than 12 tonnes	142	155
		Any RUC weight more than 12 tonnes	278	284
311 (Bus)	Powered passenger service vehicles with three axles	Not more than 18 tonnes	278	303
		Any weight more than 18 tonnes	372	372
6	Powered vehicles with three axles, (except type 308, 309, 311 or 399 vehicles)	Not more than 12 tonnes	90	99
		More than 12 tonnes and not more than 18 tonnes	292	321
		Any RUC weight more than 18 tonnes	391	391
14	Powered vehicles with four axles (except type 408 or type 499 vehicles)	All RUC weights	361	392
19	Powered vehicles with five or more axles (except type 599 vehicles)	All RUC weights	321	350
308	Towing vehicles with three axles that are part of a combination vehicle with a total of at least 8 axles	All RUC weights	359	388
408	Towing vehicles with four axles that are part of a combination vehicle with a total of at least 8 axles	All RUC weights	333	362
309	Towing vehicles with three axles that are part of a combination vehicle with a total of at least 9 axles	All RUC weights	284	312

RUC rates for distance licences for unpowered vehicles

RUC vehicle type number	Description	Weight bands	RUC rate ($ per 1000km GST inclusive) up to 30 Sep 2018	RUC rate ($ per 1000km GST inclusive) as of 1 Oct 2018
24	Unpowered vehicles with one axle	All RUC weights	114	114
29	Unpowered vehicles with two twin-tyred, or single large-tyred close axles, (except vehicle type 929)	Not more than 10 tonnes	37	37
		Any RUC weight more than 10 tonnes	125	125
30	Unpowered vehicles with two twin-tyred spaced axles	Not more than 10 tonnes	37	37
		Any RUC weight more than 10 tonnes	211	211
28	Unpowered vehicles with two axles (excluding vehicle types 29, 30 and 929)	Not more than 10 tonnes	40	44
		Any RUC weight more than 10 tonnes	257	280
33	Unpowered vehicles with three twin-tyred, or single large-tyred, close axles (except vehicle type 939)	All RUC weights	168	168
37	Unpowered vehicles with three axles, (except vehicle types 33 and 939)	Not more than 10 tonnes	37	40
		Any RUC weight more than 10 tonnes	287	287
43	Unpowered vehicles with four axles	All RUC weights	215	215
951	Unpowered vehicles with five or more axles	All RUC weights	161	161
929	Leading trailer with two twin-tyred, or single large-tyred, close axles	All RUC weights	91	91
939	Leading trailer with three twin-tyred, or single large-tyred, close axles	All RUC weights	61	61

RUC rates for distance licences for all terrain cranes**

No price changes for terrain cranes as of 1 October 2018

**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*

No price changes for motor caravans described below as of 1 October 2018. A rate increase may apply if your vehicle has another RUC vehicle type (usually RUC vehicle type 2).

* 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 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)

No price changes as of 1 October 2018

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)

No price changes as of 1 October 2018

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)

No price changes as of 1 October 2018

Download our handbook

Download our 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.