By The Big Buy desk · Last verified 28 September 2026
Road tax for a petrol car in Singapore is set by engine capacity, using a formula LTA publishes for five bands; the bigger the engine, the more each extra cc costs. A 1,598cc car pays S$370.86 every six months, or about S$742 a year. Electric cars pay according to the power of their motor, plus an additional flat component. Hybrids pay whichever of the two calculations is higher. Cars more than 10 years old pay a surcharge on top.
Quick facts
- Petrol cars are taxed on engine capacity in cc.
- A 1,598cc car pays about S$742 a year.
- Electric cars are taxed on motor power in kW, plus a flat component.
- Hybrids pay the higher of the two calculations.
- Cars over 10 years old pay a surcharge.
- You renew for six or twelve months, when the current road tax expires.
How is petrol car road tax worked out?
EC stands for engine capacity in cc. The six-monthly amounts are:
| Engine capacity | Six-monthly road tax |
|---|---|
| Up to 600cc | S$200 × 0.782 |
| 601 to 1,000cc | [S$200 + S$0.125 × (EC − 600)] × 0.782 |
| 1,001 to 1,600cc | [S$250 + S$0.375 × (EC − 1,000)] × 0.782 |
| 1,601 to 3,000cc | [S$475 + S$0.75 × (EC − 1,600)] × 0.782 |
| Above 3,000cc | [S$1,525 + S$1 × (EC − 3,000)] × 0.782 |
Worked example: a 1,598cc car falls in the third band. S$250 + S$0.375 × 598 = S$474.25, and × 0.782 = S$370.86 for six months. Going from 1.6 to 2.0 litres costs more than going from 1.0 to 1.4, because each extra cc is taxed at a higher rate in the higher bands.
How are electric cars taxed?
By power rating (PR), the maximum output of the motor in kW, with motors added together if there’s more than one:
| Power rating | Six-monthly road tax |
|---|---|
| Up to 7.5kW | S$200 × 0.782 |
| 7.5 to 30kW | [S$200 + S$2 × (PR − 7.5)] × 0.782 |
| 30 to 230kW | [S$250 + S$3.75 × (PR − 30)] × 0.782 |
| Above 230kW | [S$1,525 + S$10 × (PR − 230)] × 0.782 |
Most mainstream EVs fall in the wide 30 to 230kW band, which LTA created in January 2022 by merging two bands. Electric cars also pay an additional flat component, introduced in 2021 because they pay no petrol duty.
What about older cars?
They pay a surcharge on the road tax: 10 per cent once a car is more than 10 years old, 20 per cent after 11 years, and rising each year after that.
When do I pay?
You renew for six or twelve months at a time, and only when your current road tax is due to expire. You can’t pay several years in advance.
The WahLiao Verdict
Engine size is a running cost as well as a performance figure. Before you choose the bigger engine, run both through the formula; above 1,600cc, every extra cc costs twice as much.
Questions people ask
Why is there a 0.782 in the formula?
It’s part of LTA’s published formula, and it lowers the base amount. Older calculators that leave it out overstate road tax by about 28 per cent.
How is a hybrid taxed?
LTA works it out on both engine capacity and motor power, and charges the higher.
Can I renew early?
Only when it’s due to expire; you choose six or twelve months each time.
Do diesel cars pay more?
Yes. They pay an additional special tax that depends on their emission standard.
Sources: LTA, revised road tax schedule for electric cars (2021); GetGo, road tax guide; CarBuyer on age surcharges and hybrids; MoneySmart on renewing road tax. The worked example is the desk’s own arithmetic from LTA’s formula.
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