Light vehicles · since 1 Jul 2020
Road user charges
A light diesel or electric vehicle pays $76 for every 1,000 km, bought in advance. A petrol car pays its road tax at the pump instead, 70.0c a litre of excise plus GST.
Who pays RUC and how
Road user charges apply to every vehicle whose fuel is not taxed at the pump: diesel cars, utes and vans, trucks of every size and, since 1 April 2024, light electric vehicles. Light electric vehicles have paid the same $76 per 1,000 km as light diesels since 1 April 2024, and light plug-in hybrids pay a reduced $38, because they also pay excise on the petrol they use. Owners buy a RUC licence for a block of kilometres in advance and display it, and the odometer reading decides when the next block is due.
Light vehicles under 3.5 tonnes pay $76 per 1,000 km, including GST. Online and app purchases add a $12.44 handling fee per licence ($13.71 over the counter). Heavy vehicles pay much higher rates set by weight and axle configuration; they are not covered here.
RUC against petrol excise
Reading the result
The calculator compares like with like: the road tax a RUC payer owes for a distance against the excise, plus GST, that a petrol car would pay to cover it. At $76 per 1,000 km and 80.5c of excise with GST a litre, the two break even for a petrol car using 9.4 litres per 100 km. A thirstier car pays more road tax through the pump than a RUC payer; a frugal one pays less.
The national 91 average this week is 334.5c a litre, so excise and GST are about 24% of what a petrol driver pays. Diesel fuel itself is covered in diesel and its road user charges.
RUC and excise changes
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 2020 | Petrol excise rises to 70.024c a litre and light-vehicle RUC to $76 per 1,000 km, the rates still in force. | NZ Customs |
| 21 Apr 2022 | Road user charges cut by 36% across all rates as the matching relief for diesel and heavy vehicles. | NZTA Waka Kotahi |
| 1 Jul 2023 | Relief ends: petrol excise returns to 70.024c a litre and RUC to standard rates. | NZ Customs |
| 1 Apr 2024 | Light electric vehicles start paying RUC at $76 per 1,000 km; light plug-in hybrids at $38. | NZTA Waka Kotahi |
| 31 Aug 2026 | The Government cancels the 12c excise rise planned for January 2027 and announces 5c steps from 2028 instead, with matching RUC increases. | Beehive release |
| 30 Jun 2027 | The RUC exemption for heavy electric vehicles is due to end. | Ministry of Transport OIA response |
| 1 Jan 2028 | Announced: petrol excise up 5c a litre with an equivalent RUC rise, the first of the new 5c steps. Not yet legislated. | Beehive release, 31 August 2026 |
| 1 Jul 2028 | Announced: a second 5c excise step with matching RUC, then further 5c steps each January and July in 2029. Not yet legislated. | Beehive release, 31 August 2026 |
Straight answers
How much are road user charges in NZ?
$76 per 1,000 km for light vehicles (under 3.5 t), including GST, since 1 July 2020.
Do electric cars pay RUC?
Yes. Light electric vehicles have paid the same $76 per 1,000 km as light diesels since 1 April 2024, and light plug-in hybrids pay a reduced $38, because they also pay excise on the petrol they use.
Is RUC cheaper than petrol tax?
It depends on fuel use: at current rates the break-even is about 9.4 L/100 km for a petrol car.