Stamp duty is the cost buyers most often leave out of the budget, and it is rarely small. On a $45,000 hatchback it ranges from $1,278 to $2,587.50 depending on which side of a state border you register the car — a difference of more than $1,300 for the identical vehicle.
It is charged by the state or territory you register in, not by the Commonwealth, and the eight jurisdictions do not agree on much. Queensland prices duty by what is under the bonnet. The ACT prices it by tailpipe CO₂. Victoria charges per $200 of value rather than per $100. Western Australia runs a sliding percentage. South Australia simply keeps charging at the same rate no matter how expensive the car gets.
Here is what each one actually charges.
The short version
For a $45,000 passenger car:
| State | Stamp duty | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| ACT | $1,278 | By tailpipe CO₂ emissions |
| NSW | $1,350 | $3 per $100, then $5 above $45,000 |
| QLD | $1,350 | By cylinder count |
| NT | $1,350 | Flat $3 per $100 |
| SA | $1,740 | Stepped scale, no upper band |
| TAS | $1,800 | $4 per $100 above $40,000 |
| VIC | $1,890 | Per $200 of value |
| WA | $2,587.50 | Sliding rate to 6.5% |
You can run your own numbers in our stamp duty calculator, which shows the figure for your state and what the same car would cost everywhere else.
New South Wales
$3 for every $100 up to $44,999. From $45,000, it is $1,350 plus $5 for every $100 above that threshold.
The jump at $45,000 is worth knowing about. A $44,900 car attracts $1,347; a $45,100 car attracts $1,355. Small difference there, but the $5 rate compounds quickly — by $80,000 you are paying $3,100.
Victoria
Victoria charges per $200 rather than per $100, and applies one rate to the whole value rather than just the amount above a threshold.
- Green passenger cars (120g CO₂/km or less): $8.40 per $200 at any price
- Other passenger cars up to $80,809: $8.40 per $200
- $80,809 to $100,000: $10.40 per $200
- $100,000 to $150,000: $14.00 per $200
- Above $150,000: $18.00 per $200
Because the rate applies to the whole value, crossing a threshold costs more than you might expect. At $80,800 the duty is $3,394. At $80,900 it is $4,212 — an extra $818 for $100 more car.
The green car concession is the standout. Every electric car and most hybrids stay at the lowest rate no matter what they cost, which on an expensive EV saves thousands.
Calculate Victorian stamp duty →
Queensland
Queensland is the only state that prices duty by what is under the bonnet:
- Hybrid and electric: $2 per $100
- 1 to 4 cylinders: $3 per $100
- 5 to 6 cylinders: $3.50 per $100
- 7 or more cylinders: $4 per $100
Above $100,000 each rate rises by $2, and the higher rate applies to the whole value.
This makes Queensland unusually cheap for electric buyers. A $45,000 EV attracts $900 in duty — the lowest of any mainland state.
Calculate Queensland stamp duty →
Western Australia
WA is the most expensive for most buyers:
- Up to $25,000: 2.75% of value
- $25,000 to $50,000: a sliding rate that climbs steadily
- Above $50,000: a flat 6.5%
The sliding band is the part that surprises people. At $25,000 you pay 2.75%. At $45,000 the rate has climbed to 5.75%. At $50,000 it hits 6.5% and stays there.
South Australia
SA uses a stepped scale that tops out quickly and then never changes:
- Up to $1,000: $1 per $100, minimum $5
- $1,000 to $2,000: $10 plus $2 per $100 above $1,000
- $2,000 to $3,000: $30 plus $3 per $100 above $2,000
- Above $3,000: $60 plus $4 per $100 above $3,000
There is no higher band. A $30,000 car and a $300,000 car are charged at the same $4 per $100 on everything above $3,000. That makes SA comparatively expensive on ordinary cars and comparatively cheap on expensive ones.
It is worth being specific about this, because several online calculators claim South Australia charges 13% above $70,000. RevenueSA's published table contains no such band.
Tasmania
- Up to $600: $20 flat
- $600 to $35,000: $3 per $100
- $35,000 to $40,000: $1,050 plus $11 per $100 above $35,000
- Above $40,000: $4 per $100 on the whole value
That $11 per $100 band between $35,000 and $40,000 is brutal and easy to miss. A $35,000 car attracts $1,050. A $39,900 car attracts $1,589. Push just over $40,000 and the rate drops back to $4 per $100 on the whole value — so a $40,100 car attracts $1,604. The curve is genuinely strange, and if you are shopping near $38,000, going slightly cheaper or slightly dearer both work out better.
Calculate Tasmanian stamp duty →
Australian Capital Territory
The ACT prices duty on tailpipe CO₂, in six bands from AAA (zero emissions) to D (221g/km and above). Zero-emission vehicles pay the lowest rate whether new or used.
For used cars the emissions category only matters if the car is zero-emission — everything else pays one flat scale. The ACT is the cheapest jurisdiction in the country for a $45,000 car.
Northern Territory
The simplest of the lot: a flat $3 per $100 of dutiable value, with no bands or thresholds.
What counts as the "dutiable value"
Every jurisdiction charges on the dutiable value, which is generally what you actually pay including GST, accessories, dealer delivery and on-road costs — not the advertised list price. Adding a $3,000 accessory pack adds roughly $90 to $195 in duty depending on your state.
For private sales and transfers between family members, duty is assessed on market value if that is higher than the price paid. You cannot reduce duty by writing a low figure on the transfer form.
Things that change the answer
Heavy vehicles over 4.5 tonnes, trailers and caravans, primary producer vehicles and fleet-discount purchases all follow different rules. So do family transfers, deceased estates and certain disability concessions.
If any of those apply to you, check with your state revenue office directly — our calculator links to each one.
Budget for it properly
The practical advice is simple: work out your stamp duty before you start negotiating, not after. On a $50,000 car it is somewhere between $1,425 and $3,250 depending on where you live, and it is due at registration whether you budgeted for it or not.
Run your numbers in the stamp duty calculator, then use the running costs calculator to work out what the car costs you after that.
The Final Word
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