Buenos Aires residents faced a shock this week as vehicle tax bills arrived with increases exceeding 100% for some, but the government has stepped in to cap those hikes. The General Administration of Public Revenues of Buenos Aires (AGIP) announced Tuesday that online payments are now available again, with a deadline of Friday, February 28th.
The sudden surge in taxes stemmed from a change in how vehicle valuations are calculated, and the government’s subsequent decision to limit increases to align with inflation.
Officials maintain there wasn’t a tax *increase* per se, but rather an adjustment based on updated vehicle valuations from the Association of Automotive Dealers of the Argentine Republic (ACARA). “The variations observed…respond to the update of the valuations of certain vehicles,” the city stated.
Last week, drivers began reporting dramatically higher bills appearing in their online banking and on the AGIP website. Increases of over 100% weren’t uncommon, particularly for vehicles older than ten years.
The core issue? The reference value used to calculate the tax was modified. This shift in valuation, especially for older cars, led to the substantial increases.
For 2026, the city switched its valuation source from the National Directorate of the Automotive Property Registry (DNRPA) to ACARA, citing “previous inconsistencies and outdated information” in the DNRPA data. ACARA’s valuations reflect current market prices, explaining the jumps in value.
Following public outcry and media coverage, the Executive Branch decided to reverse course, implementing a cap that wasn’t initially included in the 2026 Budget discussions but had been set for 2025.
In 2024, high inflation prompted the Legislature to cap patent calculations at 130% for 2025. This year, the same percentage system was used, but without a cap. The change to ACARA valuations then caused vehicle values to double in some cases, directly impacting bimonthly installments.
According to AGIP, the increases affected 16% (171,427 vehicles) of the 1,058,310 cars registered in the district. Another 16% will pay below the rate of inflation, while the remaining 717,744 vehicles saw increases no higher than the 2025 Price Index (CPI).
For example, a 2013 Toyota Corolla saw its bimonthly bill jump from $38,202 to $83,538 – a 119% increase. The cap brings that down to $50,235. A 2012 Toyota SW4 went from $118,000 to $196,000 (66% higher), now capped at $155,170.
A 2016 Chevrolet Prisma owner faced a 90% increase, bringing the fee to $58,277; the cap reduces it to $40,729. A 2017 Fiat Argo’s bill rose from $65,297 to $109,232, now capped at $85,865.
The most significant increase was seen on a 2015 Nissan Note, which jumped from a $26,919 bimonthly payment to $84,498 – a staggering 184% increase. The cap lowers that to $35,398.
