Understanding the distance-based calculation method for RUC.
Your RUC cost = rate per 1,000km × how many thousands you buy + a small admin fee. Most light RUC vehicles pay $76 per 1,000km; petrol PHEVs pay $38. Heavy vehicles? It gets complicated fast.
Example: Light diesel/EV buying 5,000km online
RUC rates aren't pulled from thin air. The Ministry of Transport uses something called the Cost Allocation Model to work out how much each vehicle type should pay. It factors in three main things:
Based on axles, tyres, and weight. Light vehicles are simple. Heavy vehicles have dozens of classifications.
Usually your vehicle's Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM). This is the max weight it can safely carry, set by the manufacturer.
Bought in 1,000km blocks. Your odometer (or hubodometer for heavies) is the official record.
Road damage doesn't increase evenly with weight. Engineers use something called the "fourth power law": double the axle weight, and you get roughly 16 times the road wear.
Axle load
1×
baseline wear
2× axle load
~16×
illustrative wear
3× axle load
~81×
illustrative wear
This rule is a useful engineering shorthand, not a literal car-versus-truck calculator. Actual wear also depends on axle configuration, tyres, pavement and loading.
Average laden weight, not maximum
Rates are based on how heavy vehicles typically travel, not their theoretical maximum load. The government knows most trucks aren't running at 100% capacity all the time, so they use fleet averages to keep things fair.
Most light cars, vans and utes that pay RUC fall into two rates: the standard type 1 rate and the reduced type 12 PHEV rate.
Up to 3,500kg
$76/1,000km
1,001 - 3,500kg
$38/1,000km
Over 3,500kg? Welcome to complexity. Rates vary by weight band, axle count, and tyre configuration. There are more than 80 RUC rates across the full schedule.
3,501 - 6,000kg
Type 1
$82
6,001 - 9,000kg
Type 1
$167
9,001 - 12,000kg
Type 1
$352
These are selected standard rates current at 30 July 2026. NZTA has announced changes to several specialist H and 50MAX-related vehicle types from 6 August 2026, so heavy operators should check the live official table.
Every RUC purchase includes a transaction fee. Buy online and save a bit.
$12.44
per licence
$13.71
per licence
The government distance rate is fixed, but transaction costs and purchase channels can differ. RUC Compare puts published provider pricing and access options side by side.
For light vehicles only
What a year of RUC looks like at $76 per 1,000km (excluding admin fees).
| Usage | Annual km | Units | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 7,500 | 8 | $608 |
| Medium | 15,000 | 15 | $1,140 |
| High | 30,000 | 30 | $2,280 |
RUC charges you per kilometre, not per litre. A fuel-efficient diesel and a thirsty one pay the same if they're the same weight.
Buy 5,000km and use it however you like. Ten trips or one hundred, doesn't matter.
RUC doesn't inherently require GPS. Standard light vehicles use an odometer, while heavy vehicles usually use a hubodometer; approved electronic systems are optional.
Your recorder still counts off-road travel. If the distance is eligible, keep records and apply to have that portion refunded.
Now you know how the rates work. Next up: how to actually purchase your RUC licence, where to buy it, and what to do with the label. Check out the purchasing guide in this section.
