Fuel Quality Standards (Petrol) Determination 2024
made under section 21 of the
Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000
Compilation No. 02
Compilation date: 18 April 2026
Includes amendments: F2026L00445
About this compilation
This compilation
This is a compilation of the Fuel Quality Standards (Petrol) Determination 2024 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 18/04/2026 (the compilation date).
The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.
Uncommenced amendments
The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Register (www.legislation.gov.au). The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. For more information on any uncommenced amendments, see the Register for the compiled law.
Application, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments
If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.
Modifications
If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. For more information on any modifications, see the Register for the compiled law.
Self‑repealing provisions
If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.
Contents
1 Name........................................................1
2 Commencement.................................................1
3 Authority......................................................1
4 Definitions.....................................................1
5 Fuel standard for petrol.............................................2
6 Fuel standard for ethanol............................................4
1 Name
This instrument is the Fuel Quality Standards (Petrol) Determination 2024.
3 Authority
This instrument is made under section 21 of the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000.
4 Definitions
Note: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in section 4 of the Act, including the following:
(a) fuel
(b) supply
In this instrument:
Act means the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000.
ASTM followed by an alphanumeric code means the testing method developed under that code by the standards development organisation called ASTM International.
CAS no., for a parameter, means the Chemical Abstracts Service Registry number for the parameter.
petrol does not include aviation gasoline (avgas) supplied for use in aircraft.
pool average for aromatic content, means the average amount of aromatics in all batches of petrol across all grades manufactured in Australia, or imported, by a supplier in each 12 months starting on 1 January.
mg/kg means milligrams per kilogram, and is equivalent to ‘parts per million’ or ‘ppm’ by mass.
% v/v means per cent volume by volume and is equivalent to ‘volume %’, ‘vol %’ and ‘% vol’.
% m/m means per cent mass by mass, and is equivalent to ‘mass %’, ‘% mass’ and ‘weight %’.
5 Fuel standard for petrol
(1) In relation to a parameter specified in column 1 of an item of the following table, petrol must comply with the specification for that parameter specified in column 2 of that item.
(2) For subsection (1), compliance with the specification for a parameter is determined by using the testing method for that parameter specified in column 3 of that item of the table.
Item | Column 1 Parameter | Column 2 Specification | Column 3 Testing Method | |
1 | Aromatics | Between the date this instrument commences and 14 December 2025:
| All grades: 45% v/v maximum with a 35% v/v maximum pool average.
| ASTM D1319 |
After 14 December 2025:
| Petrol with RON grade between 95.0 and 97.9: 35% v/v maximum All other grades: 45% v/v maximum All grades: 35% v/v maximum pool average | |||
2 | Benzene | 1.0% v/v maximum | ASTM D5580 | |
3 | Copper corrosion—3 h at 50°C | Class 1 | ASTM D130 | |
4 | Diisopropyl ether (DIPE, CAS no. 108‑20‑3) | 1% v/v maximum | ASTM D4815 | |
5 | Distillation—final boiling point | 210°C maximum | ASTM D86 | |
6 | Ethanol | 10% v/v maximum | ASTM D4815 | |
7 | Ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE, CAS no. 637‑92‑3) | 1% v/v maximum | ASTM D4815 | |
8 | Existent gum—washed | 5 mg/100 mL maximum | ASTM D381 | |
9 | Induction period—oxidation stability | 360 minutes minimum | ASTM D525 | |
10 | Lead | 5 mg/L maximum | ASTM D3237 | |
11 | Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE, CAS no. 1634-04-4) | 1% v/v maximum | ASTM D4815 | |
12 | Motor octane number (MON) | 91 RON grade: 81.0 minimum 95 RON grade: 85.0 minimum | ASTM D2700 | |
13 | Olefins | 18% v/v maximum | ASTM D1319 | |
14 | Oxygen | Petrol without ethanol: 2.7% m/m maximum Petrol with ethanol: 3.9% m/m maximum | ASTM D4815 | |
15 | Phosphorus | 1.3 mg/L maximum | ASTM D3231 | |
16 | Research octane number (RON) | 91 RON grade: 91.0 minimum 95 RON grade: 95.0 minimum | ASTM D2699 | |
17 | Sulfur | Between the day the Fuel Quality Standards (Petrol) Amendment Determination (No. 1) 2026 commences and 30 September 2026: | All grades: 50 mg/kg maximum
| ASTM D5453 |
Between 1 October 2026 and 31 December 2026: | All grades: 40 mg/kg maximum | |||
Beginning on 1 January 2027: | All grades: 10 mg/kg maximum | |||
18 | Tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA, CAS no. 75‑65‑0) | 0.5% v/v maximum | ASTM D4815 | |
(3) Specifications set out in the table apply to all grades of petrol unless otherwise stated.
(4) Any ethanol component of petrol must comply with the fuel standard for ethanol in section 6.
(5) Compounds containing phosphorus must not be added to petrol.
6 Fuel standard for ethanol
(1) In relation to a parameter mentioned column 1 of an item of the following table, ethanol in petrol must comply with the specification for that parameter specified in column 2 of that item.
(2) For subsection (1), compliance with the specification for a parameter is determined by using the testing method for that parameter specified in column 3 of that item of the table.
Item | Column 1 Parameter | Column 2 Specification | Column 3 Testing Method |
1 | Acidity—as acetic acid | 0.006% m/m maximum | ASTM D7795 |
2 | Appearance | Clear and bright and visibly free of suspended or precipitated contaminants | ASTM D4806 |
3 | Copper | 0.1 mg/kg maximum | EN 15837 (as modified in CEN/TS 15293) |
4 | Denaturant | 1–1.5% v/v denaturant | ASTM D5501 |
5 | Ethanol | 95.6% v/v minimum | ASTM D5501 |
6 | Inorganic chloride | 10 mg/kg maximum | ASTM D7328 |
7 | Methanol | 0.5% v/v maximum | ASTM D5501 |
8 | pHe | 6.5–9.0 | ASTM D6423 |
9 | Solvent washed gum | 5.0 mg/100 mL maximum | ASTM D381 |
10 | Sulfate | 4.0 mg/kg maximum | ASTM D7328 |
11 | Sulfur | 10 mg/kg maximum | ASTM D5453 |
12 | Water | 1.25% m/m maximum | ASTM E1064 |
(3) The denaturant component of ethanol must be petrol.
Endnotes
Endnote 1—About the endnotes
The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.
The following endnotes are included in every compilation:
Endnote 1—About the endnotes
Endnote 2—Abbreviation key
Endnote 3—Legislation history
Endnote 4—Amendment history
Abbreviation key—Endnote 2
The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.
Legislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4
Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.
The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.
The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.
Misdescribed amendments
A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe how an amendment is to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, then the misdescribed amendment can be incorporated through an editorial change made under section 15V of the Legislation Act 2003.
If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is not incorporated and “(md not incorp)” is added to the amendment history.
Endnote 2—Abbreviation key
ad = added or inserted | orig = original |
am = amended | p = page(s) |
amdt = amendment | para = paragraph(s)/subparagraph(s) |
C[x] = Compilation No. x | /sub‑subparagraph(s) |
ch = Chapter(s) | pres = present |
cl = clause(s) | prev = previous |
cont. = continued | (prev…) = previously |
def = definition(s) | pt = Part(s) |
Dict = Dictionary | r = regulation(s)/Court rule(s) |
disallowed = disallowed by Parliament | reloc = relocated |
div = Division(s) | renum = renumbered |
exp = expires/expired or ceases/ceased to have | rep = repealed |
effect | rs = repealed and substituted |
gaz = gazette | s = section(s)/subsection(s) |
LA = Legislation Act 2003 | /rule(s)/subrule(s)/order(s)/suborder(s) |
LIA = Legislative Instruments Act 2003 | sch = Schedule(s) |
(md not incorp) = misdescribed amendment | SLI = Select Legislative Instrument |
cannot be given effect | SR = Statutory Rules |
mod = modified/modification | sub ch = Sub‑Chapter(s) |
No. = Number(s) | sub div = Subdivision(s) |
Ord = Ordinance | sub pt = Subpart(s) |
| underlining = whole or part not |
| commenced or to be commenced |
Endnote 3—Legislation history
Name | Registration | Commencement | Application, saving and transitional provisions |
Fuel Quality Standards (Petrol) Determination 2024 | 24/04/2024 (F2024L00475) | 25/04/2024 |
|
Fuel Quality Standards (Petrol) Amendment Determination (No. 1) 2026 | 17/03/2026 (F2026L00264) | 18/03/2026 |
|
Fuel Quality Standards (Petrol) Amendment Determination (No. 2) 2026 | 17/04/2026 (F2026L00445) | 18/04/2026 |
|
Endnote 4—Amendment history
Provision affected | How affected |
s 2 | rep LA s 48D |
s 5 | am F2026L00264 am F2026L00445 |
|
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