Annual road tax is based on engine size

Passenger cars with no more than seven seats, which covers most sedans and SUVs, are taxed by engine displacement: 50 satang per cc for the first 600 cc, 1.50 baht per cc for the part above that up to 1,800 cc, and 4 baht per cc for the part above 1,800 cc.

From the sixth year, a car gets a 10% tax discount, rising by 10% each year up to 50% from the tenth year onward. That is a small upside of older used cars. Pickups and EVs are taxed by vehicle weight, not by cc.

These figures are calculated from the rates in use as of October 2026. For your car's actual amount, see the tax notice or check with the Department of Land Transport (DLT). Late payment brings a monthly fine, and if the tax lapses for several years in a row, the registration is suspended. More on renewing in annual car tax, inspection and Por Ror Bor.

Compulsory insurance (Por Ror Bor) and vehicle inspection

• Por Ror Bor, the compulsory insurance, must be in place before you can renew the road tax. For a car with no more than seven seats it is about 645 baht per year, and higher for pickups. It covers only medical costs and loss of life, not the car itself.
• Vehicle inspection. Cars seven years old or more must pass an inspection at a private vehicle inspection center (tor ror or) before renewing the tax every year. The fee is a few hundred baht.

Voluntary car insurance

This is the biggest cost after fuel. Class 1 insurance for a small sedan runs from about 10,000 to the high teens of thousands of baht per year, depending on the model, the age of the car, the sum insured and the driver's record. SUVs, pickups and EVs cost more.

For older cars with a low sum insured, many people choose Class 2+ or Class 3+, which is much cheaper. But understand that it covers the car only in a collision with a land vehicle where there is an identified other party. Get a quote for the model you plan to buy before deciding, because two models at the same price can differ by several thousand baht in premium.

Fuel, the biggest cost

The formula: distance per month divided by fuel economy, times the fuel price. For example, driving 1,250 kilometers a month in a car that does 14 kilometers per liter uses about 89 liters. At about 40.70 baht per liter for Gasohol 95 in early October 2026, that comes to about 3,600 baht a month, or about 43,000 baht a year.

Fuel prices move every week, so use the price on the day you read this. And if you want to know how much an EV could cut this cost, try your numbers in the EV vs petrol car calculator.

Maintenance and a repair fund

• Servicing. Engine oil and filters at the intervals in the manual, plus major services that add fluids and wear parts.
• Tires. A set lasts several years, but tires older than five years should be replaced even if tread remains.
• Battery. Most last about two to three years each.
• Brakes, suspension, air-con. Not replaced every year, but they come as a lump sum when they do.

The older the car, the bigger and less predictable this cost becomes. The approach that actually works is to put a repair fund aside separately every month, as if it were another installment. An older car needs several times more saved than a young one.

Example: one small 1.5-liter sedan

Altogether that is roughly 60,000 to over 70,000 baht a year, or about 5,000 to 6,000 baht a month, not counting the installment, parking, expressway tolls or major repairs. These numbers are why the car installment should be no more than about one quarter of your income.

This example is an estimate to give you a picture. Your actual costs depend on the car model, how far you drive, fuel prices and the insurance premium you get.