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Novated Lease Calculator Australia โ€” FY 2025-26

Calculate your novated lease costs, tax savings, and FBT liability. Compare EV vs petrol vehicles and see whether a novated lease beats buying outright. Includes the EV FBT exemption for battery electric and hydrogen vehicles. FBT year ending 31 March 2026.

$
Total drive-away price including on-road costs
Typical lease term is 3-5 years
BEV and hydrogen are FBT-exempt. PHEVs NOT exempt from 1 Apr 2025.
$
Your total gross salary before tax
$
Fuel/charging, rego, insurance, tyres, servicing
โ€”

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How to Use This Calculator

Lease Estimate tab

Enter the car's drive-away price, lease term (1-5 years), fuel type, your annual salary, and estimated annual running costs (fuel/charging, rego, insurance, tyres, servicing). The calculator shows your fortnightly pre-tax cost, FBT amount ($0 for eligible EVs), income tax saving, net fortnightly cost, and total cost compared to buying outright.

EV vs Petrol tab

Enter the EV drive-away price and an equivalent petrol car price to see the annual and 5-year cost difference. The EV FBT exemption is the primary driver of savings, plus lower running costs for electric vehicles.

Should I Novate? tab

Compare a novated lease against buying with a car loan. Enter the car value, your salary, fuel type, and your car loan rate. The calculator shows the break-even salary where a novated lease becomes cheaper than a car loan.

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All inputs are encoded in the URL. Click Share to send your exact calculation to a colleague or financial adviser.

The Formula

Lease Cost:
Total Lease = (Car Value − Residual) + Finance Charge + Running Costs
Fortnightly Pre-Tax = Total Lease ÷ (Term × 26 fortnights)

FBT (Statutory Formula Method):
Taxable Value = Car Cost × 20% (statutory fraction)
FBT Payable = Taxable Value × 47%
For eligible EVs (BEV/hydrogen): FBT = $0

Tax Saving:
Saving = Tax(Salary) − Tax(Salary − Annual Pre-Tax Payments)
Net Cost = Pre-Tax Payment − Tax Saving + FBT

ATO Minimum Residuals:
1yr: 65.63% | 2yr: 56.25% | 3yr: 46.88% | 4yr: 37.50% | 5yr: 28.13%

Worked Example

$55,000 BEV on a 5-year novated lease, salary $100,000

Step 1: Lease cost calculation

Car value (drive-away)$55,000
ATO minimum residual (5yr: 28.13%)$15,472
Depreciation component$39,528
Running costs (5 years × $5,000)$25,000
Fortnightly pre-tax (approx.)~$900

Step 2: FBT check

Fuel typeBEV (battery electric)
Below LCT threshold ($91,387)?Yes
FBT payable$0 (EV exempt)

Step 3: Tax saving

Marginal rate at $100K30% + 2% Medicare = 32%
Tax saving per fortnight~$270
Net cost per fortnight~$630

Step 4: vs petrol car

Same $55K car as petrol: FBT~$5,170/year
Petrol net cost per fortnight~$750
EV saving per year~$3,120

Verdict: The BEV novated lease costs ~$630/fortnight net after tax savings, compared to ~$750/fortnight for an equivalent petrol car. The $0 FBT exemption plus lower running costs save approximately $3,120 per year.

Novated Lease Key Rates (FBT Year Ending 31 Mar 2026)

FBT and lease rates
Parameter Value
FBT rate 47%
Statutory fraction (all distances) 20%
EV FBT exemption BEV + hydrogen only
PHEV FBT exemption NOT exempt from 1 Apr 2025
LCT threshold (fuel-efficient) $91,387
Type 1 gross-up rate 2.0802
ATO minimum residual values
Lease Term Minimum Residual
1 year 65.63%
2 years 56.25%
3 years 46.88%
4 years 37.50%
5 years 28.13%

Residual = percentage of vehicle's original cost price. This is the balloon payment at end of lease.

Income tax brackets (Stage 3, FY 2025-26)
Taxable Income Tax Rate
$0 – $18,200 0%
$18,201 – $45,000 16%
$45,001 – $135,000 30%
$135,001 – $190,000 37%
$190,001+ 45%

Plus 2% Medicare Levy on total taxable income.

FAQ

A novated lease is a three-way agreement between you (the employee), your employer, and a finance company. Your employer agrees to make lease payments from your pre-tax salary, reducing your taxable income. The lease covers the car purchase price plus all running costs including fuel or charging, registration, insurance, tyres, and servicing. When the lease ends, you can pay the residual (balloon) value to own the car, re-lease it, or return the vehicle.
Yes, battery electric vehicles (BEV) and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) are fully exempt from Fringe Benefits Tax under the Treasury Laws Amendment (Electric Car Discount) Act 2022. The car must be valued below the luxury car tax threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles ($91,387 for FY 2025-26). Important: Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are NOT exempt from FBT for new arrangements entered into from 1 April 2025 onward. Only existing PHEV arrangements entered before 1 April 2025 retain the exemption.
For non-exempt vehicles, FBT is calculated using the Statutory Formula Method. The taxable value equals the car's cost price multiplied by the 20% statutory fraction (flat rate regardless of kilometres driven). The FBT payable is this taxable value multiplied by the 47% FBT rate. For a $55,000 petrol car: $55,000 × 20% = $11,000 taxable value × 47% = $5,170 FBT per year. This cost is typically passed through to the employee via reduced salary packaging benefits.
If you change jobs, the novation (the agreement with your employer) is terminated. You have several options: 1) Transfer the novated lease to your new employer if they offer salary packaging. 2) Continue the lease payments personally (after-tax) until you can novate with a new employer. 3) Pay out the lease early, which may involve early termination fees. The lease itself remains between you and the finance company — only the salary deduction arrangement changes.
ATO minimum residual values set the lowest balloon payment allowed at the end of a novated lease: 1 year: 65.63%, 2 years: 56.25%, 3 years: 46.88%, 4 years: 37.50%, 5 years: 28.13% of the vehicle's original cost price. You can set a higher residual (which lowers fortnightly payments but means a larger balloon at the end), but you cannot go below the ATO minimum. At lease end, you pay the residual to own the car, refinance it, or return the vehicle.

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