Fees and charges cut or waived for replacing hail damaged vehicles


Released 10/02/2020

A number of administration fees and charges will be reduced or waived for Canberrans that have been forced to replace vehicles due to hail damage.

It is estimated that up to 30,000 vehicles were significantly damaged during a hailstorm that hit parts of the Territory on 20 January, many of which will have to be replaced.

The Government has reviewed administration fees associated with private vehicle registration to ease the financial burden on Canberrans forced to replace their car. The package of fees and charges cut or waived for drivers impacted by hail damage includes:

  • A stamp duty rebate of up to $100 for vehicles with a value of $10,000 or less that are purchased to replace a vehicle written-off as a result of the hailstorm.
  • Vehicle owners will not have to pay any additional registration fees for a replacement vehicle. We will provide refunds for registration cancellation fees ($47.70) and vehicle establishment fees ($48.80 or $95.70*) for those with vehicles written-off by hail damage and replaced.
  • There will be a vehicle road worthy inspection fee rebate of $72.10 and an additional $55.30 should a basic identity inspection be required. This will assist those owners whose hail damaged vehicles are not being assessed through insurance claims.

While relatively minor costs, we recognise that the replacement of hail damaged cars would have been an unforeseen expense on the family budget.

Many drivers with comprehensive insurance will be spared these costs, but it is anticipated that there will be Canberrans that will be replacing their vehicles out of their own pocket, and these fees and charges would have added to the costs associated with purchasing a new car.

This package of measures will have a minimal impact on the budget, as revenue estimates did not include this unforeseen increase in activity..

These measures are available for vehicles privately registered in the ACT that were impacted by the hailstorm until 30 June 2020.

More information is on the Access Canberra website.

*A higher fee of $95.70 is charged for interstate vehicles not previously registered in the ACT and this will be rebated to where owners purchase replacement vehicles interstate.

- Statement ends -

Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases


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