Introduction
When you buy, win, inherit or receive a new or used vehicle you may be required to pay stamp duty (motor vehicle duty) costs when you transfer the vehicle into your name.
You need to find and provide the current market value of the vehicle so that stamp duty can be correctly calculated. The market value is the amount a vehicle is worth in the open market. It includes GST, unless you're exempt from paying it.
The market value is used to determine:
- the amount a vehicle may be insured for
- a vehicle's worth should it be written-off or stolen and not recovered
- stamp duty costs when transferring a vehicle registration.
How stamp duty (motor vehicle duty) is calculated
Stamp duty is calculated on the market value of the vehicle or the purchase price. Use the Revenue NSW calculator to estimate the stamp duty on a motor vehicle purchase.
You will need to provide the vehicle's current market value or agreed purchase price, whichever is highest, if you are:
- transferring a vehicle registration or
- submitting a Notice of Disposal (NOD) for a used vehicle.
Market value and purchase price
Find the current market value of a used vehicle
To find the market value of a used vehicle, you need to do your own independent research.
Your research may include:
- asking a motor dealer or an insurance company
- searching online for the make, model and year of the vehicle
- searching online for a vehicle market value calculator (a number of commercial companies offer this service).
Purchase price
The purchase price for a vehicle, also known as the sale price, is the amount the buyer and seller of the vehicle agree on the day of sale. This amount can sometimes be lower than the current market value.
Penalties for providing an incorrect market value
If you claim your vehicle is worth less than it is when transferring the registration or submitting a notice of disposal for a used vehicle you could face a penalty.
How to pay motor vehicle duty
If you purchased a new vehicle from a dealer
When you buy a new vehicle, the dealer will often organise the registration for you.
If the dealer does not do this, you can:
- download and complete the application form to Register a brand new vehicle
- visit a Service NSW Centre.
If you purchased a used vehicle
To transfer the registration and pay the motor vehicle duty online you can use your MyServiceNSW Account if:
- you are transferring the ownership of a vehicle registered in NSW
- the previous owner/seller has submitted a Notice of Disposal.
If you are unable to pay online
If you are not eligible to transfer the registration online you’ll need to visit a Service NSW Centre with your documents.
Links
Motor vehicle duty
- What is motor vehicle duty and how is it calculated?
- Estimate the cost of stamp duty on a motor vehicle purchase