Who is considered a primary producer
You’re a primary producer if you’re any of the following:
- a person or company that works mainly in agriculture, horticulture, viticulture, dairying, pastoral or similar
- a licensed commercial fisherman.
Primary production involves producing goods for sale, such as:
- cultivating crops to sell, including in a processed or converted state
- maintaining animals or poultry for sale
- commercial fishing, including preparation and preserving or storing fish or fishing gear
- growing plants, seedlings, mushrooms or orchids for sale.
Just keeping animals or growing crops for yourself doesn’t count as primary production. To qualify, you must be selling what you produce.
What vehicles are eligible
To get the discount, your vehicle must be used only for your primary production business.
Eligible vehicles may include:
- a vehicle constructed for carrying a load
- a prime mover
- a tractor
- a vehicle with an engine used to drive or operate an agricultural implement
- a vehicle constructed for agricultural purposes
- a special work vehicle (SWV)*
- primary producer firefighting units (if used and equipped specifically for combating outbreaks of fire and certified by the Country Fire Authority (CFA))
- primary producer vehicles for emergency purposes.
Motorcycles used by primary producers don’t get a registration discount – but they do benefit from a lower TAC (Transport Accident Commission) premium. You can find out more about the TAC charge on the Transport Accident Commission website.
If you’re a primary producer, you can use your work vehicle for charitable or emergency purposes, as long as you don’t ask for a fee or reward.
Examples:
- helping out during emergencies (see the Emergency Management Act 1986)
- supporting a charitable or sporting event (see the Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2021).
If your vehicle is registered for the primary producer discount for emergency purposes, you can’t use it for any other activities.
* Refer to the Special work vehicles page on Transport Victoria for the definition of a SWV.
Primary producer rates and how to register
If you qualify as a primary producer, you can register an eligible vehicle at a reduced rate depending on your vehicle type. Your vehicle will still be subject to TAC charges.
Certain vehicles are also exempt from motor vehicle duty. See rates for eligible vehicles below for a list.
Applying is easy
The discount can be applied either when you first register your vehicle or when you renew your registration.
To apply for the discount:
- Complete the Primary producer discount application form (PDF).
- If your vehicle is a primary producer firefighting vehicle, you also need a completed original Certificate of Authenticity issued by the Country Fire Authority.
- Submit your application to us by:
- emailing it to [email protected]
- visiting a VicRoads Customer Service Centre.
We can apply the discount at the time of registration if you bring the completed application form with you to your registration appointment.
Already paid your registration? You can submit a refund application along with your primary producer application.
The below table shows the discounted registration rates for 2024-25. Most of these vehicles will still be subject to a TAC charge.
| Primary producer vehicle type | Registration fee |
|---|---|
| Light load-carrying motor vehicles, e.g. utes, 2 seater vans | $171.65 (TAC charge may still be payable) |
| Light load-carrying trailers | No fee |
| Agricultural implement, machine (to perform agricultural tasks), agricultural trailer, light tractor | No fee (TAC charge may still be payable) |
| Special vehicle only for the primary production business, or to travel to and from another primary producer property within a 25km radius of the registered address | No fee (TAC charge may still be payable) |
| Firefighting vehicles certified by the CFA | No fee (TAC charge may still be payable) |
| Special work vehicles type 1 and 2 | No fee (TAC charge may still be payable) |
| Heavy vehicles | See Heavy vehicle fees |
For new registrations, you don’t have to pay motor vehicle duty for the following vehicles:
- light mobile plants
- heavy trailers
- special purpose vehicles type P and type O
- tractors
- special work vehicles type 1 and 2
- agricultural implements or machines registered as primary producer vehicles.