If you’ve had a feeling that your registration renewal has changed a lot, you are right! The ACT is not billing for registration on the basis of weight only anymore; Emissions-Based Registration in the ACT considers emissions as well as the weight of a car and whether it is used for personal use or for business. For Canberrans driving more modern hybrids and electric vehicles, this is good—but for the owners of older petrol-powered vehicles, the question arises whether it is worth keeping the car or selling it now?
This article explains in simple language how the system works, who is affected by it, and what one should do with older cars.
Visit Us Or Call us for sell your old car: https://beyondcarremovalcanberra.com.au/ (0431893553)
What Is Emissions-Based Registration in the ACT?
Emissions-based registration is basically an initiative that involves charging vehicle owners according to their cars’ emissions. The ACT Government assigns every light vehicle a category based on its CO2 emissions according to the federal Green Vehicle Guide. Vehicles with lower emissions will pay less than those emitting more CO2 within the same weight class. This initiative is part of the plan of the ACT to achieve net zero emissions by 2045.
Here’s how the categories break down, according to Access Canberra:
| Category | Combined CO2 (grams per km) | Typical vehicles |
| AAA | 0 | Fully electric cars |
| AA | 1 – 65 | Plug-in hybrids |
| A | 66 – 130 | Most hybrids, small efficient cars |
| B | 131 – 175 | Many small to mid-size petrol cars |
| C | 176 – 220 | Larger petrol cars and SUVs, and all unrated cars |
| D | 221+ | Big V6/V8 cars, many utes and 4WDs |
Fees are also split by weight and use: private vehicles under 2,505 kg, private vehicles from 2,505 kg, and two business groups.
What Happens If My Car Is Older Than 2004?
Cars made before 2004, and cars without an official CO2 rating, are treated as “unrated”. Unrated vehicles are placed in Category C by default. This can also catch some modified and imported vehicles. So if you’ve got a 1990s Commodore or an early-2000s Falcon in the driveway, it sits in the middle-to-upper part of the scale, whatever its actual fuel use.
The Date That Matters: 1 December 2025
The changes have been phased in, and one date is easy to miss.
If You Already Own the Car
If your car has been registered to you since before 1 December 2025, it stays on what Access Canberra calls “transition” fees. In practice, as long as you keep it and keep it registered, you won’t see the full emissions-based fee.
When the Car Changes Hands
From 1 December 2025, a light vehicle registered to a brand-new owner will transition to the complete emissions-based “reference” charge. This is important for those who own older cars since the burden is passed on, not to the current owner, but to whoever acquires the car later.
To understand the magnitude of the matter, examples provided by Access Canberra for 2025-2026 show that in the emissions-based scheme an electric Hyundai Kona pays only $382 for registration, while it would cost $695 under the old weight-based system and a Toyota Camry Hybrid – $561.
How This Affects Older Petrol Cars in Canberra
Private Buyers Are Doing the Maths
Canberra buyers are well-informed. Before buying a used car privately, plenty of people now check the rego cost with the ACT’s online calculator. A thirsty older sedan, ute or 4WD in Category C or D costs more to register than a newer, cleaner car. That makes it a harder sell on Marketplace or Carsales, especially when the car also needs work.
More Canberrans Are Going Electric
The shift is happening fast. The ACT Government reported in July 2026 that about 1 in 20 cars registered in the ACT is now electric. In June 2026, more than 43 per cent of newly registered vehicles were EVs. As more people move to electric and hybrid cars, demand for older petrol cars on the private market keeps shrinking.
Running Costs Keep Adding Up
Rego is only one bill. An older car also comes with MAI insurance, servicing, tyres, fuel and repairs that tend to get bigger with age. If the car mostly sits in the driveway, you’re paying all of that for very little use.
Should You Keep or Sell Your Old Car?
There’s no one right answer. It depends on how much you use the car and what shape it’s in.
It Usually Makes Sense to Keep It If…
- You drive it most days and it’s reliable
- It’s paid off and has no big repairs coming
- It stays registered to you, so you keep paying transition fees, not reference fees
- A newer car isn’t in the budget yet
It’s Probably Time to Sell If…
- It’s a second or third car that hardly gets driven
- The next rego renewal or a big repair bill is coming up
- It failed a roadworthy or got a defect notice
- You’ve already bought a newer car, hybrid or EV
- You’ve tried selling privately and nobody’s biting
A Quick Way to Decide
Add up what the car will cost you over the next 12 months: rego, MAI insurance, servicing and any repairs you know about. Then compare that figure with what the car is worth to sell today. If the cost of keeping it is close to, or more than, what it’s worth, selling is usually the smarter move.
Why Older Cars Are Easier to Sell to a Car Buyer Than Privately
When rego costs put private buyers off, a cash for cars business is often the easiest way out. We don’t need to register your car to drive it, because we tow it away. So the higher reference fee doesn’t affect what we’ll offer.
At Beyond Car Removal Canberra, we buy older petrol cars, utes, vans and 4WDs in any condition, from running daily drivers to cars that haven’t moved in years. We pay up to $19,999 depending on the vehicle, collect it for free anywhere in Canberra, and pay you before the car leaves. If your car is older, our cash for old cars page explains how we value it. If it’s in decent shape, read our guide to selling your car in Canberra.
Moving to a hybrid or EV yourself and need to get rid of an older one? We also cover selling a hybrid or electric car to a wrecker.
What to Do With Your Rego When You Sell
If the Car Is Still Registered
Fill in the notice of disposal on the back of the registration certificate, sign it with the buyer, and let Access Canberra know about the sale. Keep a copy for your records.
If You Want a Refund on Unused Rego
If you’re selling the car unregistered, cancel the registration at an Access Canberra Service Centre first. Any unused rego and MAI insurance is refunded when you cancel. Selling just before your renewal date saves you paying for another full period.
Our driver can walk you through the paperwork on the day. The official steps are on Access Canberra’s selling a vehicle page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does emissions-based registration apply to all cars in the ACT?
It applies to light vehicles. Motorcycles are rated by engine size instead. Veteran and vintage vehicles, heavy vehicles from 4,500 kg, trailers, caravans and campervans are excluded.
How do I check my car’s CO2 rating?
Look your car up in the federal Green Vehicle Guide, then use the ACT registration calculator to see what you’ll pay.
Will my rego go up if I keep my old car?
Not because of the new scheme. If the car has been continuously registered to you since before 1 December 2025, it stays on transition fees. The full emissions-based fee applies when a new owner registers it.
Can I sell an old car that’s unregistered?
Yes. We buy unregistered cars and tow them away, so they never need to go back on the road.
Thinking About Selling Your Old Car?
If the new rego rules have made you rethink that older car, get a free, no-obligation quote. Call Beyond Car Removal Canberra on 0431 893 553 or email beyondcarremovalscanberra@gmail.com. We’re based at 36/12 Pioneer St, Amaroo, and open 7 days from 7 am.
