General FAQs

When did it start?

RFT started on 1 July 2018 in the Auckland region. Further regions may submit a proposal to establish a regional fuel tax (RFT) scheme from 1 January 2021.

What will RFT be spent on?

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

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

What is the boundary for Auckland RFT?

RFT is 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 is it?

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

What types of fuel are charged with RFT?

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

It does not apply to liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG).

What are eligible fuel purchases?

Eligible fuel purchases are purchases of petrol, diesel or their bio-variants made within the Auckland regional fuel tax boundary for use in eligible vehicles, vessels and/or machines. Don’t know if your place of purchase is within the boundary? See What is the boundary for Auckland RFT question

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?

Waka Kotahi 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.

Ministry of Transport’s 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 is 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.

Can I become exempt from paying RFT?

Depending on how you buy, store and monitor your fuel use, you may be able to become exempt from paying RFT.

You cannot have an exemption from paying RFT if you:

• Buy your fuel from a service station
• Buy your fuel from a company that’s not a registered fuel supplier with us
• Have a bulk tank that’s used for both exempt, and non-exempt use.
  Check out what you can claim
• Don’t keep accurate or reliable records of your fuel use

You may be able to have an exemption from paying RFT if you:

• Get your fuel delivered to you by a company that’s a registered fuel supplier
• Have accurate and reliable records of your fuel use
• Can show sufficient security measures that keep your fuel safe from non-exempt use

To start applying for an exemption, please email rftassessments@nzta.govt.nz to find out more.

Why do you contact my fuel supplier?

You need to have an account with a fuel supplier to have an approved exemption for home heating. We will contact your fuel supplier to make sure we have the right details, and to let them know your home heating fuel will be exempt from paying RFT in the future if your application is approved.