Road tax is a charge you pay to LTA to keep your car on the road. It is separate from your COE and your car insurance. This guide explains how the amount is worked out and how renewal works. It also explains why your insurance must be in order first.
The road tax figures here were checked against LTA on 19 October 2026. LTA sets the rates and can change them. Confirm the amount for your own car on LTA's OneMotoring site before you pay.
What is road tax, and who collects it?
Road tax is paid to LTA. It is not the same as car insurance, which you buy from an insurer. You need both to use your car on the road.
You can pay road tax for 6 months or for 12 months at a time. Each time it runs out, you renew it.
How is road tax worked out for a petrol car?
For a petrol car, road tax depends on engine capacity in cc. LTA uses a banded formula. Each band has a base amount plus a charge for every cc above the start of the band. The result is then multiplied by 0.782.
What you need
- Your car's engine capacity in cc, from your vehicle records
- Your car's age, if it is more than 10 years old
- The current rates on OneMotoring
The steps
- Find your car's engine capacity in cc.
- Find the band it falls into.
- Take that band's base amount and add the per-cc charge above the band's start.
- Multiply the result by 0.782. This gives the six-monthly figure.
- Double it for a year.
- Add any surcharge for age (see below).
The bands for each six months, before the 0.782 multiplier, are:
- Up to 600cc: S$200
- 601 to 1,000cc: S$200 plus S$0.125 a cc above 600
- 1,001 to 1,600cc: S$250 plus S$0.375 a cc above 1,000
- 1,601 to 3,000cc: S$475 plus S$0.75 a cc above 1,600
- Above 3,000cc: S$1,525 plus S$1 a cc above 3,000
What common engine sizes pay
These are yearly figures from LTA's formula, before any age surcharge:
- 1,000cc: S$391.00
- 1,200cc: S$508.30
- 1,500cc: S$684.26
- 1,600cc: S$742.90
- 1,800cc: S$977.50
- 2,000cc: S$1,212.10
- 2,500cc: S$1,798.60
- 3,000cc: S$2,385.10
The charge per cc rises in the higher bands. So the gap between engine sizes grows as engines get bigger. For example, a 1,600cc car pays S$742.90 a year. A 2,000cc car pays S$1,212.10.
How is road tax worked out for a hybrid?
A petrol-electric hybrid is worked out two ways. LTA works out a figure on its engine capacity. It also works out a figure on its motor power. The car pays whichever is higher.
This means a hybrid can pay more than a petrol car with the same engine. Check both figures on OneMotoring if you are looking at a hybrid.
How is road tax worked out for an electric car?
An electric car has no engine capacity. Its road tax is based on motor power in kW instead.
The six-monthly bands, before the 0.782 multiplier, are:
- Up to 7.5kW: S$200
- 7.5 to 30kW: S$200 plus S$2 a kW above 7.5
- 30 to 230kW: S$250 plus S$3.75 a kW above 30
- Above 230kW: S$1,525 plus S$10 a kW above 230
On top of this, an electric car pays an Additional Flat Component. This is S$350.00 every 6 months, or S$700.00 a year.
Yearly totals, including the flat component, look like this:
- 100kW: S$1,501.56
- 150kW: S$1,794.80
- 200kW: S$2,088.06
- 250kW: S$3,397.90
- 300kW: S$4,179.90
The jump between 200kW and 250kW comes from the higher charge per kW above 230kW. If you compare electric models, check the motor power, not just the battery size.
Does road tax go up for an older car?
Yes. Once a car is more than 10 years old, LTA adds a surcharge. It is a share of the car's road tax:
- More than 10 years old: 10% on top
- More than 11 years old: 20% on top
- More than 12 years old: 30% on top
- More than 13 years old: 40% on top
- More than 14 years old: 50% on top
The surcharge rises by 10% a year until it reaches 50%. If you renew your COE and keep a car past 10 years, plan for a higher road tax bill each year. Our COE guide covers the COE side.
Insurers also price older cars differently. Some stop quoting them online. See insurance for older cars for what to check.
Should you pay for 6 months or 12 months?
Both options are open to you. The yearly figure in LTA's tables is twice the six-monthly figure. Things to weigh:
- Cash flow: six months spreads the cost.
- Admin: twelve months means one renewal a year.
- Plans for the car: if you may sell or deregister the car soon, check on OneMotoring how unused road tax is treated.
- Insurance dates: your cover must be valid when you renew, so line up the dates.
How do you renew road tax?
Most owners renew on OneMotoring. The order below keeps the process simple.
- Check your insurance. Make sure your policy is valid. If it has lapsed or is about to, sort that out first.
- Check for other conditions. Some cars must meet other requirements, such as an inspection, before renewal. OneMotoring shows what applies to your car.
- Log in to OneMotoring. Go to the road tax renewal service.
- Choose 6 or 12 months. The amount due is shown, including any age surcharge.
- Pay. Use one of the payment methods listed.
- Keep the record. Save the confirmation for your files.
OneMotoring also shows when your road tax expires. LTA sets the rules on late renewal and driving without valid road tax. Check those rules on OneMotoring rather than relying on memory.
Why do you need valid insurance to renew road tax?
You cannot renew road tax without valid car insurance. The minimum is third party cover. Comprehensive or third party, fire and theft also count.
This links the two bills. When your insurance renewal comes up, think about your road tax date too. A gap in cover can hold up your road tax renewal.
If you are switching insurer, make sure the new policy starts before the old one ends. Your no-claim discount normally moves with you when you switch.
What do road tax and insurance cost together?
The site's road tax page puts both costs side by side for common cars. Insurance there is the lowest comprehensive premium listed for a driver aged 40, with 10 years' driving and a 50% no-claim discount, on a 3-year-old car. It includes 9% GST.
As listed on 28 October 2026:
- Toyota Corolla Altis (1,598cc): road tax S$741.72 a year, insurance from S$642.42, together S$1,384.14.
- Toyota Sienta (1,496cc): road tax S$681.90, insurance from S$604.07, together S$1,285.97.
- Mercedes-Benz GLB (1,332cc): road tax S$585.72, insurance from S$664.09, together S$1,249.81.
- Toyota Harrier (1,986cc): road tax S$1,195.68, insurance from S$742.90, together S$1,938.58.
For electric cars, road tax depends on the exact motor power. The page lists insurance only, for example from S$869.87 for the Tesla Model 3.
Your own premium will differ with your age, driving record and car. You can open a model, such as the Toyota Corolla Altis, to see each insurer's price. Or you can compare with your own details.
A quick checklist before renewal
- Your engine capacity, or motor power for an electric car
- Whether your car is a hybrid, and so taxed on the higher figure
- Your car's age, and any surcharge
- Your insurance start and end dates
- Any inspection or other condition shown on OneMotoring
- Whether you want 6 or 12 months
Car insurance through Shenton Brokers
Before you drive off or renew, get your car insurance through Shenton Brokers. See which cars cost least to insure, or look up your own model's prices from every insurer we compare. Or get a quote with your own details.