New basis for calculating heavy goods vehicle tax as of next year

20.12.2024 | 11:24

The Estonian Transport Administration and the Tax and Customs Board hereby announce that the basis for calculating the heavy goods vehicle tax will be amended from 2025. The amendment is required due to a European Union regulation that amended and supplemented the list of vehicle type-approval body names, which in turn constitutes the basis for calculating the heavy goods vehicle tax.

Under the regulation, more precise information on the vehicle’s body name is entered in the motor register as of 2020 in order to ensure that new types of motor vehicles and their trailers comply with the safety and environmental requirements of the European Union.

From 20 December 2024, the Estonian Transport Administration will forward the data provided in the motor register to the Tax and Customs Board, which will then be used to calculate the heavy goods vehicle tax on the correct grounds. On the basis of the organised data, a quarterly heavy goods vehicle tax will be levied on all vehicles with the capacity to carry goods, regardless of whether the vehicle is intended for this purpose or not. This means that the notation “specific purpose” is no longer a basis for exemption and vehicles that were previously exempt are subject to taxation. According to the new basis, the first payment deadline of the heavy goods vehicle tax is 15 January 2025.

The clarification of the data on which the heavy goods vehicle tax is based is required due to the fact that the vehicle body names defined in EU Regulation 2018/858 were introduced in the motor register. As a result, several of the former body names are no longer used for new vehicles.

The vehicle history check in the E-service of the Estonian Transport Administration can be used to verify whether a vehicle is capable of carrying goods based on its body type.

If you have any further questions regarding the body type of a truck, please contact the Estonian Transport Administration at the e-mail address [email protected] or dial 620 1200. Further information about the heavy goods vehicle tax is available on the website of the Tax and Customs Board.

The table below provides an overview of the heavy goods vehicle tax for N and O category trucks.

Vehicle body type

Capacity for carriage of goods

Subject to heavy goods vehicle tax

Concrete pump

no capacity for carriage of goods

no

Concrete mixer

carriage of goods

yes

Converter dolly (category O only)

carriage of goods

yes

Livestock carrier

carriage of goods

yes

Special purpose vehicle

the capacity for carriage of goods depends on the construction of the vehicle, clarification needed

Small van

carriage of goods

yes

Isothermal

carriage of goods

yes

Retail/exhibition

no capacity for carriage of goods

no

Tipper

carriage of goods

yes

Van

carriage of goods

yes

Glazing transporter

carriage of goods

yes

Compressor (category O only)

no capacity for carriage of goods

no

Container carrier

carriage of goods

yes

Vertical lift

no capacity for carriage of goods

no

Crane

no capacity for carriage of goods

no

Mobile crane

no capacity for carriage of goods

no

Low-floor (category O only)

carriage of goods

yes

Drop-side truck

carriage of goods

yes

Timber truck

carriage of goods

yes

Miscellaneous

the capacity for carriage of goods depends on the construction of the vehicle, clarification needed

Boat carrier (category O only)

carriage of goods

yes

Tanker

carriage of goods

yes

Refuse collection vehicle

carriage of goods

yes

Digger derrick vehicle

carriage of goods

yes

Recovery vehicle

carriage of goods

yes

Glider carrier (category O only)

carriage of goods

yes

Emergency vehicle

no capacity for carriage of goods

no

Ladder vehicle

no capacity for carriage of goods

no

Tractor unit

carriage of goods

yes

Car carrier

carriage of goods

yes

Road maintenance

no capacity for carriage of goods

no

Replacement body

carriage of goods

yes

Road tractor

carriage of goods

yes

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