Road tax in Moldova
The road tax — officially the road use tax (taxa pentru folosirea drumurilor) — is an annual tax on every vehicle registered in the Republic of Moldova. It is calculated from engine capacity, and proof of payment is required before your vehicle inspection. Below are the 2026 rates, worked examples and the ways to pay. All amounts are in Moldovan lei.
Who pays the road tax
Who pays it, and for what:
- Individuals and companies that own a vehicle registered in Moldova.
- You pay for each registered vehicle separately.
- Electric vehicle owners pay too, at a rate based on the gross vehicle weight.
- You do not pay for a vehicle a private owner has stopped using, nor for one de-registered or temporarily withdrawn from use. People with locomotor disabilities are exempt.
2026 rates
For combustion-engine vehicles, multiply the engine capacity in cubic centimetres by the matching rate:
| Engine capacity | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| up to 2000 cm³ | 0.60 lei / cm³ |
| 2001–3000 cm³ | 0.90 lei / cm³ |
| 3001–4000 cm³ | 1.20 lei / cm³ |
| 4001–5000 cm³ | 1.50 lei / cm³ |
| over 5000 cm³ | 1.80 lei / cm³ |
Worked examples
A few examples for ordinary cars:
Electric vehicles
Electric vehicles have paid the road tax since 1 January 2026; before that they were exempt. The tax is based on the gross vehicle weight rather than on engine capacity. Mopeds, scooters and motorcycles pay a flat rate:
| Vehicle or weight | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| up to 1500 kg | 0.60 lei / kg |
| 1501–2500 kg | 0.90 lei / kg |
| 2501–3500 kg | 1.20 lei / kg |
| 3501–4500 kg | 1.50 lei / kg |
| over 4500 kg | 1.80 lei / kg |
| Electric mopeds and scooters | 300 lei |
| Electric motorcycles | 600 lei |
When it is due
When you pay it:
- The tax covers a full calendar year, 1 January to 31 December.
- You pay the whole amount at once. The exception is a vehicle inspected twice a year: that amount is split into two equal payments.
- The real deadline is your inspection date. If the tax is unpaid, the station will not start the inspection.
How to pay
You have two options:
Online through MPay
The government electronic payment service. You need the VIN from the registration certificate and the payer's IDNP — the 13-digit personal ID number on a Moldovan ID card. You work out the amount yourself from the table above, then pay by card and get confirmation immediately.
At a bank, through Paynet or at the post office
The same details, over the counter. The law lets you pay on the day of the inspection, but pay before you arrive: the station reads your payment from the system, not from a receipt.
Tip
Check the exact engine capacity on your registration certificate before paying. A difference of 100 cm³ looks small. But once the engine passes 2000 cm³, the rate per cubic centimetre rises by 50%, and the total goes up sharply.
Frequently asked questions
What is the road tax in Moldova?
It is an annual tax on every vehicle registered in the Republic of Moldova. The owner pays it for the use of public roads. It is calculated from engine capacity, or from gross vehicle weight for electric vehicles.
How much is the road tax in Moldova in 2026?
For an engine up to 2000 cm³ the rate is 0.60 lei per cubic centimetre, so a 1400 cm³ engine costs 840 lei per year. Above 2000 cm³ the rate rises in bands, up to 1.80 lei per cm³ for engines over 5000 cm³.
How do I pay the road tax online?
Through MPay, the government electronic payment service. You need the VIN from the registration certificate and the payer's IDNP. You can also pay at a bank, through Paynet or at the post office.
Do I have to pay the road tax before the vehicle inspection?
Yes. The station checks electronically, through the Autotest system, whether the tax is paid. If it is not, the inspection will not start.
Do electric cars pay the road tax?
Yes, since 1 January 2026. The basis is gross vehicle weight rather than engine capacity: from 0.60 lei per kilogram up to 1500 kg, rising in bands to 1.80 lei per kilogram above 4500 kg. Electric mopeds and scooters pay 300 lei a year, and electric motorcycles 600 lei.
The road tax is only one of two payments. The station charges its own fee on top, and that fee differs from station to station.
See what the inspection costs