Singapore Road Tax Surcharge Calculator 2026 — LTA +10%/Year Age Surcharge for Vehicles Over 10 Years Old: Year-by-Year Escalation Table, Base vs Total Road Tax, Petrol/Diesel (cc) & EV (kW) Modes

The road tax age surcharge is an additional charge levied by LTA on Singapore vehicles that are more than 10 years old. The surcharge is +10% of the base road tax per year above 10 years: Year 11 = +10%; Year 12 = +20%; Year 13 = +30%; Year 14 = +40%; Year 15 and above = +50% (capped). The surcharge is added to the base road tax (calculated from engine capacity in cc for petrol/diesel, or maximum power in kW for EVs). It applies to all vehicle types: petrol, diesel, and electric. The total road tax including surcharge is paid 6-monthly through your motor insurer as part of the road tax renewal process.

The surcharge starts from Year 11 — the day the vehicle turns 11 years old from its first Singapore registration date. A vehicle in its 10th year of registration pays no surcharge (0%). From the first day of Year 11, the +10% surcharge applies. This is calculated based on the anniversary of the vehicle’s first LTA registration date. The surcharge is applied to the road tax renewal that falls after the vehicle’s 10th registration anniversary. If your road tax renewal falls in the same month as your 11th anniversary, check with your insurer on which rate applies — generally the rate at the time of renewal is used.

The surcharge percentage is the same for both: +10%/year above 10 years, capped at +50%. However, because EV road tax (kW-based) is typically much higher than petrol road tax (cc-based) for comparable performance vehicles, the absolute dollar surcharge is larger for EVs. Example: 1,998cc petrol base road tax S$1,547 → Year 15+ surcharge = +50% = +S$774/year. 150kW EV base road tax S$6,558 → Year 15+ surcharge = +50% = +S$3,279/year. The EV surcharge is 4.2× larger in absolute terms. Singapore EV owners should factor this escalating surcharge into long-term EV ownership cost planning.

Step 1: Calculate base road tax from cc (petrol/diesel) or kW (EV) using LTA’s standard graduated formula. Step 2: Determine surcharge percentage by vehicle age (Year 11: 10%; Year 12: 20%; Year 13: 30%; Year 14: 40%; Year 15+: 50%). Step 3: Surcharge amount = Base road tax × Surcharge percentage. Step 4: Total road tax = Base road tax + Surcharge amount. Example: 1,998cc car at Year 12 — Base RT: S$950 + (1998-1600) × S$1.50 = S$1,547. Year 12 surcharge: 20% × S$1,547 = S$309. Total annual road tax: S$1,856. 6-monthly payment: S$928.

No — the surcharge is capped at +50% from Year 15 onwards. Once a vehicle reaches Year 15, the surcharge stays at 50% of base road tax regardless of how many more years the vehicle is kept. For example: Year 15 = +50%; Year 16 = +50%; Year 20 = +50%. The surcharge does not increase beyond +50%. This cap means the total road tax stabilises at 150% of the base rate from Year 15 permanently. However, the base road tax formula (cc or kW rates) can change if LTA updates the standard rates — in which case the capped surcharge would apply to the new base rate.

Yes — COE renewal does not exempt a vehicle from the road tax age surcharge. If you renew the COE at 10 years, you are committing to continued ownership into Year 11, 12, 13, and so on — all of which carry the road tax surcharge. The surcharge is based on the vehicle’s age from first registration, not from the COE renewal date. Renewing the COE simply allows continued use of the vehicle — it does not reset the age surcharge clock. This means the true cost of a 10-year COE renewal includes not just the PQP but also the escalating road tax surcharges over the renewed period, which can add S$500–S$3,000+ per year depending on vehicle type.

The road tax age surcharge applies to diesel vehicles using exactly the same percentage schedule (+10% per year above 10 years, capped at +50%). Diesel vehicles use the same cc-based road tax formula as petrol cars for the base road tax calculation. Additionally, diesel vehicles are subject to DERS (Diesel End-Road Tax), which is a separate mileage-based charge. The age surcharge applies to the base road tax component, not to DERS. So for diesel cars, total annual road-related cost = cc-based road tax + age surcharge + DERS. This makes keeping older diesel cars particularly expensive in Singapore, as three separate charges escalate or apply.

Singapore road tax is paid every 6 months (bi-annually). It is automatically included in your motor insurance renewal premium and processed by your insurer on behalf of LTA. The insurer collects the road tax component (which includes any applicable age surcharge) and remits it to LTA. You will see the road tax amount, including any surcharge, itemised in your motor insurance renewal notice. The 6-monthly payment includes 6 months of road tax at the applicable rate (base + surcharge). Many Singapore car owners are surprised to see their 6-monthly road tax renewal increase the year their car crosses the 10-year mark — this is the surcharge taking effect.

Yes — deregistering (scrapping or exporting via VPIS) your car before it turns 11 years old avoids the road tax surcharge entirely. If you deregister while the vehicle is exactly 10 years old, you pay no surcharge on the final road tax renewal, and you receive the PARF rebate (60% of ARF for deregistration in Year 9-10) plus pro-rated COE rebate. Many Singapore car owners choose to deregister at or slightly before Year 10 to: avoid the road tax surcharge, maximise PARF rebate before the 10-year deadline, and receive the remaining COE rebate. Use our PARF Rebate Calculator and COE Rebate Calculator to calculate the deregistration proceeds before making the decision.

Yes — motorcycles in Singapore are also subject to the road tax age surcharge on the same schedule: +10% per year above 10 years, capped at +50%. Motorcycle road tax is calculated from engine capacity (cc) similar to cars, and the same surcharge percentages apply. However, since motorcycle road tax is generally much lower than car road tax in absolute terms, the surcharge amounts are correspondingly smaller. The base motorcycle road tax starts from approximately S$90/year for a 100cc bike. A 150cc motorcycle crossing Year 11 might pay an extra S$10–S$20 in surcharge — relatively modest compared to cars. The same deregistration logic applies to motorcycles approaching 10 years.

A vehicle 15 years old (Year 15+) pays the maximum +50% surcharge on the base road tax. Example: 1,597cc petrol car — base road tax: S$500 + (1597-1000) × S$0.75 = S$948. Surcharge at +50%: S$474. Total road tax: S$1,422/year (S$711 per 6-months). This compares to S$948/year before the 10-year mark. The surcharge adds S$474/year in extra road tax for this 1.6L car. For a larger car: 2,498cc — base road tax: S$950 + (2498-1600) × S$1.50 = S$2,297. Year 15+ surcharge: +S$1,149. Total: S$3,446/year. This is 50% more expensive than the same car would pay in Year 10 or earlier.

Road tax rates and surcharge percentages in Singapore are set by LTA through legislation and can be changed with government Budget announcements or LTA policy reviews. Historically, surcharge rates have been relatively stable, but they have been adjusted before — for example, when the kW-based EV road tax formula replaced the cc-based formula for EVs in 2021. Any changes to road tax surcharge rates would typically be announced in the Singapore Budget or LTA press releases, with an implementation date giving vehicle owners time to plan. Subscribe to LTA media releases and monitor the OneMotoring website for the latest road tax information. This calculator uses 2026 rates — verify current rates at www.onemotoring.lta.gov.sg.

If you paid road tax (including surcharge) for a 6-monthly period and then deregister the car before the period ends, you may be entitled to a pro-rated refund of the unused road tax, including any surcharge component paid. This refund is processed by LTA as part of the deregistration process. The unused road tax is typically returned alongside the PARF and COE rebates at deregistration. The road tax refund covers the portion of the 6-monthly period that remains after deregistration. This is separate from the COE rebate (which is based on remaining COE months) — the road tax refund is simply the pro-rata return of tax you already paid for a period you won’t use.

Singapore’s age surcharge is part of its broader policy of making older vehicles progressively more expensive to own, discouraging keeping old vehicles that may be less fuel-efficient and more polluting. In comparison, most developed countries do not impose specific road tax age surcharges: UK Vehicle Excise Duty is based on emissions (CO2), not age; Australian registration fees are based on vehicle type and engine; Malaysia’s road tax (jpj) is also cc-based without significant age penalty. Singapore’s approach is distinctive in its explicit financial penalty for keeping older vehicles. The policy aligns with Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 targets for cleaner air and transport. The combination of PARF/COE rebate incentives (to deregister) and age surcharges (to penalise keeping old vehicles) creates a strong policy framework for regular fleet renewal.

There are limited exemptions. Classic and vintage cars designated by LTA may qualify for different rates or special categories. However, for standard private cars, the +10%/year surcharge above 10 years is applied without exemption regardless of vehicle condition, maintenance history, or driving mileage. A low-mileage 12-year-old car pays the same surcharge as a high-mileage one of the same spec. Historic or collector vehicles may have different registration classifications — consult LTA or OneMotoring for specific exemption criteria. Taxis, buses, and commercial vehicles have different road tax structures that may not follow the same surcharge schedule as private cars. This calculator covers private car (petrol, diesel, EV) road tax surcharges only.

For a 10-year COE renewal (covering Years 11 to 20), the cumulative surcharge escalates then caps. For a 1,998cc petrol car (base road tax S$1,547/year): Year 11: +S$155; Year 12: +S$309; Year 13: +S$464; Year 14: +S$619; Year 15-20: +S$774/year × 6 years = S$4,644. Total surcharge over 10-year renewal: S$155 + S$309 + S$464 + S$619 + S$4,644 = S$6,191 in total surcharges over 10 years. This S$6,191 is on top of the base road tax (S$1,547 × 10 = S$15,470) and must be factored into the total 10-year renewal cost. Added to the PQP paid at COE renewal, the escalating road tax makes 10-year renewal a significantly more expensive option than it might initially appear.