Road Tax Price by Engine Capacity: Full Table 2026
Road tax in Malaysia is charged on engine capacity, and the whole structure changes at 1,600cc. Below that line you pay a flat rate for the band and nothing else. Above it you pay a base rate plus a progressive charge on every cubic centimetre over the band's lower edge. That is why a 1.8 litre car costs roughly three times a 1.5, even though the engines are only 300cc apart. Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia are priced on separate schedules, and Sabah and Sarawak pay less at every level.
Key facts at a glance
| Charged on | Flat rates apply | Progressive rates apply | Regional difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine capacity in cc, for petrol and diesel vehicles | Up to 1,600cc | Above 1,600cc | Sabah and Sarawak pay less than Peninsular Malaysia |
Peninsular Malaysia, private saloon
| Engine capacity | Road tax |
|---|---|
| 1,000cc and below | RM20.00 |
| 1,001 to 1,200cc | RM55.00 |
| 1,201 to 1,400cc | RM70.00 |
| 1,401 to 1,600cc | RM90.00 |
| 1,601 to 1,800cc | RM200.00 plus RM0.40 for every cc above 1,600 |
| 1,801 to 2,000cc | RM280.00 plus RM0.50 for every cc above 1,800 |
| 2,001 to 2,500cc | RM380.00 plus RM1.00 for every cc above 2,000 |
| 2,501 to 3,000cc | RM880.00 plus RM2.50 for every cc above 2,500 |
Sabah and Sarawak, private saloon
| Engine capacity | Road tax |
|---|---|
| 1,000cc and below | RM20.00 |
| 1,001 to 1,200cc | RM44.00 |
| 1,201 to 1,400cc | RM56.00 |
| 1,401 to 1,600cc | RM72.00 |
Above 1,600cc, East Malaysia also uses a base plus progressive structure, at rates noticeably lower than the Peninsular. Confirm the exact figure for your band with JPJ before relying on it.
How the progressive calculation works
The arithmetic is simple once you see it done. Take the base rate for the band your engine falls into, then add the per cc charge for every cc above that band's lower threshold.
- 1,498cc, a common 1.5 litre. Sits in the 1,401 to 1,600 band, so the flat rate applies: RM90.00.
- 1,798cc. Base RM200, plus 198cc above 1,600 at RM0.40 each, which is RM79.20. Total RM279.20.
- 1,998cc. Base RM280, plus 198cc above 1,800 at RM0.50 each, which is RM99. Total RM379.00.
- 2,494cc. Base RM380, plus 494cc above 2,000 at RM1.00 each. Total RM874.00.
- 2,998cc. Base RM880, plus 498cc above 2,500 at RM2.50 each, which is RM1,245. Total RM2,125.00.
The jump at 1,600cc, and why it matters before you buy
Look at the step between a 1,598cc car and a 1,798cc one. The first pays RM90 a year. The second pays RM279.20. The engines differ by 200cc; the road tax differs by more than three times. Go up one more band and a 1,998cc car pays RM379, more than four times the 1.5 litre.
This is the single largest cliff in the table, and it is a running cost you commit to for as long as you own the car. It is worth knowing before signing for a vehicle rather than discovering it at the first renewal. Insurance premiums also scale with engine capacity, so the two costs move in the same direction.
What changes the figure
- Saloon versus non-saloon. The table above is for saloons. MPVs, SUVs and pickups are rated on a different schedule and do not read off it.
- Ownership type. Company registered saloons pay more than individually owned ones for the same engine - roughly double through the middle bands, and about three times above 3,000cc. Non-saloon vehicles pay the same rate either way.
- Region. Sabah and Sarawak rates are lower throughout, historically attributed to road conditions in East Malaysia. What decides your rate is where the vehicle is kept and used, not where it was first registered - so moving across the South China Sea changes what you pay.
- Electric vehicles. The EV road tax exemption ended on 31 December 2025. From 1 January 2026, BEVs and FCEVs are charged on motor output in kilowatts rather than engine capacity, across eleven power bands starting at RM20 a year for motors up to 50kW. Most mainstream EVs pay between RM40 and about RM280, roughly 85% less than the equivalent petrol car. The EV schedule is also simpler than the petrol one: one set of rates, with no saloon or non-saloon split and no company surcharge. See the EV insurance guide for how EV ownership costs differ more broadly.
Paying it, and the order that matters
Road tax cannot be issued unless the vehicle already has motor insurance in force, covering the whole road tax period you are applying for. Section 90 of the Road Transport Act 1987 makes it an offence to use a vehicle without cover for third party death and bodily injury, and section 90(2) is the provision that ties the two together: every applicant for a motor vehicle licence has to show that insurance will be in force for the period applied for. Insurance first, road tax second, every time.
You need the vehicle registration number and your NRIC. JPJ allows road tax renewal up to two months before expiry, and the new term starts when the old one ends rather than on the day you pay, so nothing is wasted. The record appears digitally in MyJPJ once processed.
You can also take road tax for six months instead of twelve. The half-year rate is not exactly half the annual figure, so it costs a little more over a full year - but it is the option to know about if you are planning to sell the car or would rather not pay twelve months at once. Renewal for longer than twelve months is not allowed.
One thing that will stop a renewal regardless of the fee: an outstanding summons. Once it puts you or the vehicle on the JPJ blacklist, road tax cannot be issued until it is settled and the record clears, usually one to three working days through an official channel. Check both JPJ and PDRM records before you start, because a police summons can block a renewal even when MyJPJ shows nothing outstanding.
Full process on how road tax renewal works, and you can renew on the road tax renewal page.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my 1.8 litre road tax so much higher than my friend's 1.5?
Because the structure changes at 1,600cc. Below it you pay a flat rate for your band - RM90 for a 1.5 at 1,401 to 1,600cc. Above it you pay RM200 base plus RM0.40 per cc, so a 1,798cc engine comes to RM279.20.
Is road tax cheaper in Sabah and Sarawak?
Yes, at every band. A 1,401 to 1,600cc car pays RM90 in the Peninsular and RM72 in East Malaysia.
Does the table apply to my SUV or MPV?
No. Non-saloon vehicles use a different schedule.
How is EV road tax calculated?
On motor output in kilowatts, not engine capacity. EVs were exempt until 31 December 2025; from 1 January 2026 they pay under a kilowatt-based schedule starting at RM20 a year, with most mainstream models between RM40 and about RM280.
Do company cars pay more?
Saloons do - roughly double through the middle bands, and about three times above 3,000cc. Non-saloon vehicles pay the same rate whether they are registered to a company or an individual.
Can I renew road tax without insurance?
No. An active policy is required before JPJ will issue road tax.
Is there still a physical sticker?
No, and you will not be issued one. JPJ stopped printing road tax slips for Malaysian-owned private vehicles on 1 February 2026. Your road tax lives in MyJPJ as a digital record, and enforcement officers verify it there.