General FAQs

When did it start?

RFT started on 1 July 2018 in the Auckland region. It ended on 30 June 2024.

What will RFT be spent on?

Auckland Council consulted with their public on their regional land transport.

For information on the transport projects funded by RFT, check out Auckland Transport’s website(external link).

What was the boundary for Auckland RFT?

RFT was applied to the entire Auckland Council region, except the Great Barrier Local Board Area.

Check out the maps here:

• Full Auckland region [PDF, 33 MB]
• Northern boundary [PDF, 33 MB]
• Southern boundary [PDF, 29 MB]
• Great Barrier Local Board Area(external link)

How much was it?

10 cents per litre (plus GST). It was applied to petrol, diesel and their bio-variants.

What types of fuel were charged with RFT?

RFT applied to both petrol and diesel (including bio-fuels and ethanol portions).

It didn't apply to liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG).

What are eligible fuel purchases?

Purchases of petrol, diesel or their bio-variants:

• within the Auckland regional fuel tax boundary
• for use in eligible vehicles, vessels and/or machines
• from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2024.

What is the boundary for Auckland RFT?

What are commercial purposes?

Commercial purposes are any purposes other than personal, domestic or household use. Commercial purposes includes government, schools and charitable organisations.

Why can’t all off-road users of fuel can a regional fuel tax rebate?

NZTA is not responsible for the eligibility rules. The Ministry of Transport, following the introduction of the regional fuel tax in Auckland, reviewed the range of situations where someone may be eligible to claim a rebate. You can read more about the review and some issues associated with providing rebates to all off-road fuel users on the Ministry of Transport’s website.

Review of fuel refunds and rebates (Ministry of Transport website)(external link)

Which registered vehicles are eligible for a rebate?

The following list is applicable to registered vehicles only. If your vehicle is not registered, you may be eligible for a rebate.

• Aerodrome crash fire tenders used on road only in emergencies
• All-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
• Asphalt mixing and paving plants
• Bulldozers and angle dozers
• Forklifts
• Forestry chippers used exclusively in forestry operations or management of a forest
• Front end loaders
• Log forwarders
• Log haulers that are stationary when hauling logs
• Mobile cranes
• Motor graders
• Mobile pile drivers
• Motor vehicles propelled and supported solely by self-laying tracks
• Road rollers
• Sawing or shearing apparatus used for tree cutting
• Self-propelled vehicles or towed vehicles designed for agricultural purposes, for example:
  • combine harvesters
  • cultivation equipment
  • feed troughs
  • hay balers
  • hay rakes
  • maize harvesters
  • pea viners
  • silage choppers
  • silage wagons
  • windrowers
• Self-propelled machines deesigned for industrial purposes
• Self-propelled motor scrapers
• Self-propelled trench differs and excavators
• Self-propelled vehicles that are always unladen on the road and designed exclusively for carrying earth or other bulk materials
• Self-propelled water carts that are always unladen on the road
• Stone and gravel crushing and screening plans
• Telehandlers
• Traction engines
• Tractors

Or any other vehicle used only for, or solely in connection with, agricultural operations. Non registered vehicles are eligible.

Find out if you’re eligible to receive a rebate

Which registered vehicles are not eligible for a rebate?

The following statement applies to registered vehicles only. If your vehicle is not registered, you may be eligible for a rebate.

Check if you are eligible for a rebate

The regional fuel tax was designed to capture vehicles using the road. Therefore if your registered vehicle was made for general use on public roads and is not used for commercial agricultural purposes, then it most likely is not eligible for an RFT rebate.