Government grants one-year road tax rebate for petrol vehicles

The Singapore Government will grant a one-year road tax rebate for petrol vehicles to ease the transition towards higher petrol duties, The Straits Times reported. There will be a rebate of 20 percent for cars, 60 percent for motorcycles and 100 percent for the small number of commercial vehicles using petrol.

The road tax rebates will be applicable for one year from August 1^st 2015 to July 31^st 2016 and will cost the Government $144 million. Non-petrol vehicles will not get the rebate. 

Road Tax Rebates for Different Vehicle Types

Road Tax Rates for Cars 

Engine Capacity (EC) in cc	6-Monthly Road Tax Formula	6-Monthly Road Tax Formula With Rebate (1 August 2015 to 31 July 2016)
EC < 600	$200 x 0.782	$200 x 0.6256
600 < EC < 1,000	[$200 + $0.125(EC-600)] x 0.782	[$200 + $0.125(EC-600)] x 0.6256
1,000 < EC < 1,600	[$250 + $0.375(EC-1,000)] x 0.782	[$250 + $0.375(EC-1,000)] x 0.6256
1,600 < EC < 3,000	[$475 + $0.75(EC-1,600)] x 0.782	[$475 + $0.75(EC-1,600)] x 0.6256
EC > 3,000	[$1,525 + $1(EC-3,000)] x 0.782	[$1,525 + $1(EC-3,000)] x 0.6256

The road tax payable for petrol-electric cars continues to be based on either the engine capacity of the conventional engine, or the maximum motor power rating of the electric motor, whichever is higher.

With this 20 percent rebate, the minimum road tax payment per year for petrol and petrol-hybrid Off-Peak Cars (OPCs) and revised OPCs will be reduced from $50 to $40 and $70 to $56 respectively during this period.  Similarly, the road tax of petrol and petrol-hybrid Classic cars will be reduced from $280 to $224 a year during this period.

Road Tax Rates for Petrol-Electric Cars

Power Rating, PR (kW)	6-Monthly Road Tax Formula	6-Monthly Road Tax Formula With Rebate (1 August 2015 to 31 July 2016)
PR ≤ 7.5	$200 x 0.782	$200 x 0.6256
7.5 < PR ≤ 32.5	[$200 + 2(PR-7.5)] x 0.782	[$200 + 2(PR-7.5)] x 0.6256
32.5 < PR ≤ 70	[$250 + 6(PR-32.5)] x 0.782	[$250 + 6(PR-32.5)] x 0.6256
70 < PR ≤ 157.5	[$475+ 12(PR-70)] x 0.782	[$475+ 12(PR-70)] x 0.6256
PR > 157.5	[$1,525 + 16(PR- 157.5)] x 0.782	[$1,525 + 16(PR- 157.5)] x 0.6256

Road Tax Rates for Motorcycles

Engine Capacity (EC) in cc	6-Monthly Road Tax Formula	6-Monthly Road Tax Formula With Rebate (1 August 2015 to 31 July 2016)
EC < 200	$40 x 0.782	$40 x 0.3128
200 < EC < 1,000	[$40 + $0.15(EC – 200)] x 0.782	[$40 + $0.15(EC – 200)] x 0.3128
EC > 1,000	[$160+$0.3(EC – 1,000)]x 0.782	[$160+$0.3(EC – 1,000)]x 0.3128

The road tax for petrol and petrol-hybrid taxis and commercial vehicles will be reduced by 100 percent. Hence, commercial vehicles will not need to pay road tax during this one-year period. Vehicle owners will be informed of the road tax payable one month before their current road tax expires. Vehicle owners who need not pay road tax during this period will also be informed of the road tax auto-renewal dates and requirements one month before their current road tax expires.

For vehicle owners who have already paid for road tax beyond August 1^st 2015 based on current road tax rates, the excess road tax paid will automatically be offset against the road tax payable at the next renewal. If the vehicle is transferred before its next road tax renewal, the excess road tax paid will be offset against the transfer fee payable, and any remaining excess road tax paid will be transferred along with the vehicle to the new registered owner.