how to calculate stamp duty on a car in victoria

Ah, the joyous ritual of paying stamp duty when buying a car in Victoria—because apparently the government just loves your money. To calculate it, you need to know the dutiable value of the vehicle, which is usually the purchase price or the market value, whichever is higher. The rate varies, but for most passenger vehicles, it’s 5% of the dutiable value for cars priced under $68,740, and higher rates apply for luxury vehicles. For example, if you buy a car worth $30,000, expect to cough up about $1,500 in stamp duty. Remember, this is on top of the price you’ve already paid, so budget accordingly.

For the nitty-gritty details, the State Revenue Office Victoria website is your friend. And if you’re hunting for vehicles, sites like Tradingpost or CarShowroom can give you an idea of prices to work out your stamp duty estimate.