Victorian motorists will no longer see petrol prices jump multiple times a day under new rules that require service stations to lock in a maximum price for each fuel type every day, with the Allan government pitching the changes as a response to rising fuel costs and consumer frustration over sudden bowser hikes.
From 10 March 2026, fuel retailers must nominate the next day’s maximum price by 2 pm, with that figure published on Servo Saver in the Service Victoria app by 4 pm. The cap then applies from 6 am the following day for 24 hours. Retailers can still cut prices during the day, but once the cap takes effect, they cannot raise prices again until the next day’s cap begins.
Premier Jacinta Allan said the aim was to stop motorists being caught out by rapid price movements, asking:
“How often do you see a cheap price in the morning, only for it to jump by the afternoon?”
She said the laws would give families more certainty and reduce the chance of price spikes, arguing:
“We’re stopping families from getting ripped off at the servo and helping them save hundreds a year.”
The daily cap system sits alongside Victoria’s mandatory fuel price reporting regime, which requires retailers to update Servo Saver within 30 minutes of any price change and report when a fuel type becomes temporarily unavailable. Consumer Affairs Victoria says the pricing data flows directly into Servo Saver, allowing drivers to compare current prices and, from late afternoon, view tomorrow’s maximum price cap as well.
Consumer Affairs Minister Nick Staikos said the 24-hour cap was designed to make it easier for drivers to plan ahead, saying it would help people shop around for the best deal and “put more downward pressure on prices”.
Minister for Government Services Danny Pearson said publishing prices through the Service Victoria platform was intended to put information “in your pockets to make life easier and more affordable.”
For fuel retailers, the legal obligations are specific: they must submit the next day’s cap within the 8.30 am–2 pm window, ensure prices do not rise above the submitted cap during the day, and keep reporting accurate prices for each individual site. If a retailer misses the 2 pm deadline, the current day’s cap rolls over automatically.
New penalties apply from today. Consumer Affairs Victoria says breaches of the reporting and daily cap rules can attract fines of more than $3,000 per offence, with higher penalties above $24,000 available if matters proceed to court. The regulator says it will monitor the market and can take enforcement action where needed, while also guiding retailers to help them meet their obligations.
The government has framed the changes as the second stage of its Fair Fuel Plan, building on the launch of Servo Saver last year. An earlier Victorian government announcement said the tool could save motorists up to $333 a year by helping them avoid the top of price cycles.
The reforms passed through Parliament last year as part of a broader consumer law agenda, with official parliamentary information noting the model would require retailers to publish a maximum daily fuel price by 2 pm, made public by 4 pm, and fixed from 6 am for the next 24 hours.
In its announcement, the government also took aim at the opposition, saying Liberal leader Jess Wilson and the Coalition opposed the Fair Fuel Plan and would scrap it if elected. The opposition has not made a detailed public statement on the implementation day of the scheme in the material released by the government.
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