Collection of moneys via Emergency Services Levy

The Emergency Services Funding Act 1998 established a system for funding the provision of emergency services to the South Australian community. Part of this system requires the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to collect a levy on all registered motor vehicles at the time of payment of registration fees.

The Emergency Services Levy is based on the cost of delivering Emergency Services to South Australians.

The levy is designed to replace an inequitable and unfair system of six or seven levies to fund emergency services. Funding arrangements were 70% from building and contents insurance policies, with the remainder from Comprehensive and Third Party Property Motor Vehicle Insurance, Crop Insurance, and from Commonwealth, State and Local Governments.

The levy is to be paid into a dedicated fund for the exclusive use of the Emergency Services’ including Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS), Country Fire Service (CFS), State Emergency Service (SES), Volunteer Marine Rescue, Surf Life Saving South Australia (SLSSA), Royal Volunteer Coast Guard etc. The SA Ambulance Service and Helicopter Rescue will receive a grant but will not be funded through the levy.

The levy will apply to mobile and fixed property. A fixed property levy is to be collected by Revenue SA. Vehicles registered under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1959 must pay the levy when applying to register or renew the registration. A boat levy is to be included in Marine and Harbour payments.

The levy rate will be a set amount per class of vehicle. The classes of vehicle are established by the CTP premium class code.