Finance the Ride / Horse float finance
Stamp Duty and Horse Float Finance: What to Check in Your State
Duty and registration charges on horse floats differ between states and can change. What to check, and how these costs fit into your finance.
- No credit check to enquire
- Free to enquire, with no obligation to go ahead
- A licensed broker calls you, usually within one business day
Check my eligibility
About 60 seconds. No credit check to enquire.
Whether you pay duty when you register or transfer a horse float depends on your state or territory, and on whether the float is new, used or coming from interstate. Rules and rates change, so check the current position with your state authority before you buy.
What to check
- Is duty charged on trailers in your state? Some states treat trailers differently from cars. Some exempt them, others charge duty on registration or transfer.
- New vs used vs interstate: the treatment can differ for each.
- Registration fees: these vary with the float's weight (ATM) and your state.
- Inspection requirements: some transfers, especially interstate, require an inspection.
Your state's transport or revenue office website usually has a calculator or fee table.
How it fits into finance
- Dealers usually quote a drive-away (or tow-away) price including rego and any duty. Compare floats on that basis.
- Many lenders will finance the drive-away amount, but a deposit reduces what you borrow.
- For private sales, you pay transfer costs yourself, so budget for them.
- Business buyers should ask their accountant about claiming costs. See horse float business tax deductions.
Buying a float? Tell us about it in about 60 seconds and a licensed broker will call you. No credit check to enquire.
Related guides
General information only. Duty and registration rules vary by state and change over time. Confirm with your state authority. This isn't tax or financial advice. Finance the Ride is a referral service and doesn't hold an Australian Credit Licence. Last reviewed September 2026.
About this guide. Written by the Finance the Ride team and last updated . It's general information for Australian borrowers, not financial advice, and doesn't take your circumstances into account. Finance the Ride is a referral service: we don't lend money or hold an Australian Credit Licence. About us