O a ta'avale ma tagata fa'agaioi e mana'omia e totogi Tau mo Tagata Fa'aaoga Auala.
If your vehicle uses diesel or electricity, or weighs more than 3.5 tonnes, you pay RUC. Petrol cars? You're already sorted at the pump. It really is that simple for most people.
RUC liability comes down to two questions: how heavy is your vehicle, and what powers it? Get one of these wrong and you're in the RUC system.
Any vehicle over 3,500kg pays RUC. Full stop. Doesn't matter if it runs on diesel, petrol, electricity, or fairy dust.
This includes trucks, buses, large motorhomes, and heavy trailers. The heavier you are, the more road damage you cause, so the more you pay.
For lighter vehicles, it's about what you put in the tank (or don't). If your fuel isn't taxed at the pump, you pay RUC.
Diesel isn't taxed because it's used for farming and industry. Electricity obviously isn't taxed as a road fuel. So those vehicles pay through RUC instead.
Is your vehicle over 3,500kg (GVM)?
Pays at the pump
$76/1,000km
$76/1,000km
If over 1,000kg
$38/1,000km
Reduced rate
Pays at the pump
Varies by weight
Any fuel type
Why do plug-in hybrids get a discount?
PHEVs use both electricity (no tax) and petrol (taxed at the pump). Since you're already paying some road tax through fuel, charging full RUC would be unfair. The $38 rate (vs $76) splits the difference.
Is it over 3,500kg?
What fuel?
if over 1,000kg
Not everyone's in the RUC club. Here are the main exemptions.
Electric vehicles weighing 1,000kg or less (like e-bikes and mopeds) are exempt. Minimal road impact.
Electric trucks and buses get a temporary pass to encourage adoption. From 1 July 2027, they join RUC with weight-based rates.
Tractors, excavators, forklifts, harvesters. If it's built for work, not roads, it's probably exempt.
Light diesels used 90%+ off-road (farms, forests) can apply for a permanent exemption.
Trailers under 3,500kg don't need their own RUC. The towing vehicle covers the cost.
Vehicles over 40 years old used non-commercially have their own special (lower) rates.
Renting a diesel or electric car? You'll pay RUC for the distance you drive. The rental company handles the paperwork, but they'll charge you when you return the car. Usually around 8-9 cents per km.
The RUC licence stays with the vehicle, not the owner. When you sell, the licence must be current. Selling with overdue RUC is actually an offence. Factor any unused distance into your sale price.
Under 3,500kg? No RUC needed. The towing vehicle's contribution covers both. Over 3,500kg? The trailer needs its own licence, separate from whatever's pulling it.
Yes, they exist. And yes, they pay RUC (because they're over 3.5t). But since they're also paying tax at the pump, they can claim back the fuel excise to avoid being double-taxed.
July 2027: Heavy EVs (trucks, buses) will join RUC with weight-based rates. The temporary exemption ends.
TBC (expected 2028): Petrol vehicles will eventually join RUC too. The whole fleet is moving to distance-based charging.
Next up: how exactly are those rates calculated? And how do you actually buy a licence? Check out the other guides in the Basics section.
