Car Tax Calculator
Enter your registration to check how much car tax (road tax / VED) costs per year.
Updated for the latest UK Budget and DVLA tax rules (2025)
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Vehicle Tax or Road Tax
Despite people using different names to describe it, all refer to the same tax - Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
Buying a used car?
Checking the tax cost is important, but we also provide full history checks to help spot hidden history.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is car tax (VED) calculated?
Car tax (also called road tax or Vehicle Excise Duty) depends on when the vehicle was first registered and its details. For newer vehicles, the first year is based on CO₂ emissions, then a standard annual rate applies after that. Older vehicles are typically based on CO₂ bands or engine size.
How do I check how much my car tax is?
Enter your registration number above and we’ll calculate the annual car tax cost using DVLA vehicle data and published rates.
If you’re buying a used car, a full car history check can also reveal outstanding finance, theft, write-offs and other risk markers.
Why isn't my tax cost available?
If your tax cost is not available, it’s usually because key data needed to calculate Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is missing from the DVLA records.
Common reasons include:
- No CO₂ emissions figure on record.
- Missing DVLA data such as fuel type, type approval or other details used to calculate the tax rate.
- A recent number plate change or the vehicle record not yet fully updated.
- No usable DVLA record for the vehicle.
The amount of tax due is also shown on the V11 reminder letter sent to the registered keeper shortly before the renewal date.
What is the ‘expensive car supplement’ (cars over £40,000)?
The expensive car supplement (sometimes called the “luxury car tax”) is an extra £425 per year added on top of the standard VED rate for cars with a manufacturer list price above £40,000.
Key points:
- It’s charged for 5 years, starting from the second year the car is taxed (years 2–6 after first registration).
- The £40,000 figure is the list price when new and includes most factory-fitted optional extras (it’s not the price you negotiated).
- It’s paid in addition to the standard annual rate.
Do electric cars pay road tax now?
Yes. From 1 April 2025, electric and zero-emission cars are no longer exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
What this means in practice:
- New electric cars registered from 1 April 2025 pay a £10 first-year rate.
- After the first year, electric cars pay the standard annual rate (currently £195).
- Electric cars registered between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2025 move onto the standard rate from April 2025.
- The expensive car supplement applies to electric cars registered from April 2025 if the original list price was over £40,000.
Why use a registration-based car tax calculator?
Calculating car tax manually requires details like emissions, fuel type and registration date. Our calculator uses the vehicle registration to look this up automatically, so you get an instant tax cost without needing to answer multiple questions.
Can ChatGPT calculate my car tax?
ChatGPT can explain how car tax works, but it can’t reliably calculate your exact tax cost without vehicle data like emissions and registration details. A registration-based calculator can look this up instantly using DVLA records.
Is pay-per-mile road tax coming to the UK?
Yes — a mileage-based charge has been announced for electric cars and plug-in hybrids. In the Budget 2025 speech, the Chancellor confirmed a new Electric Vehicle Excise Duty that will tax drivers based on how much they drive, payable each year alongside VED.
This is not a universal “pay-per-mile” system for all vehicles. It is a specific mileage-based charge for EVs and PHEVs.
How will pay-per-mile road tax work for EVs and PHEVs?
The Budget 2025 speech confirmed the new mileage-based charge will be payable each year alongside VED at:
- 3p per mile for electric cars
- 1.5p per mile for plug-in hybrids
The speech does not set out the full operational details (for example, how mileage will be recorded or how payments will be collected), so those specifics depend on the final implementation.
How car tax differs by registration date
The amount of car tax (Vehicle Excise Duty / VED) you pay depends heavily on when the vehicle was first registered. Different rules apply to different age bands, with newer vehicles generally taxed using emissions, and older vehicles using CO₂ bands or engine size.
| Registration period | What VED is based on | Typical rule |
|---|---|---|
| On/after 1 April 2017 | CO₂ in year 1, then standard rate | First-year rate depends on emissions; from year 2 a standard annual rate applies |
| 1 March 2001 – 31 March 2017 | CO₂ emissions bands | Annual rate is set by the vehicle’s CO₂ band and fuel type |
| Before 1 March 2001 | Engine size | Different annual rate above/below 1549cc |
| Tax-exempt vehicles | Exemption rules | Historic (40+ years), disabled tax class, and other exemptions |
Vehicles registered on or after 1 April 2017
These vehicles follow the current VED system:
- First year (year 1): Tax is based on the vehicle’s official CO₂ emissions. Higher-emission vehicles pay more in the first year.
- From year 2 onwards: A standard annual rateapplies (currently £195 for most cars), regardless of emissions.
- Cars with a list price over £40,000 may also pay the expensive car supplement for years 2–6.
Vehicles registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017
Vehicles first registered in this period are taxed using CO₂ emissions bands. The annual tax rate is determined by:
- The vehicle’s official CO₂ emissions figure (g/km)
- The fuel type (petrol or diesel)
Each CO₂ band has a fixed annual rate published by the DVLA, and this rate remains consistent year to year unless changed by the government.
Vehicles registered before 1 March 2001
Older vehicles registered before this date are taxed based on engine size rather than emissions:
- Engines up to 1549cc
- Engines over 1549cc
Vehicles that are exempt from car tax
Some vehicles do not need to pay car tax at all. Common exemptions include:
- Historic vehicles — cars built more than 40 years ago (rolling exemption)
- Mobility vehicles used by a disabled person and registered in the disabled tax class
- Electric vehicles registered before 1 April 2025 (exemption ends from April 2025)
Even if a vehicle is tax-exempt, it usually still needs to be registered as taxed with the DVLA unless it has a SORN.
Use the car tax calculator above to check which rules apply to a specific vehicle based on its registration date and details.
How the type of vehicle affects how much tax you pay
This page focuses mainly on cars, but Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) can work very differently for other vehicle types. In many cases, the rate is based on the vehicle’s class, engine size, revenue weight or other technical details rather than CO₂ bands.
| Vehicle type | How tax is calculated | Example annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| Motorcycles | Engine size (cc) | £26–£121 |
| Vans / light goods vehicles | Flat rate (up to 3,500kg) | £345 |
| Motorhomes (≤3,500kg) | Engine size | £220–£360 |
| Motorhomes (>3,500kg) | Revenue weight | £171 |
| HGVs | Weight, axles & suspension | Varies by band |
Motorcycles
Motorcycle tax is usually based on engine size (cc). Current annual rates include:
- Up to 150cc: £26 per year
- 151–400cc: £57 per year
- 401–600cc: £87 per year
- Over 600cc: £121 per year
Vans and light goods vehicles (up to 3,500kg)
Light goods vehicles (often vans) registered on or after 1 March 2001 are commonly charged a flat annual rate (including for zero-emission vans). The standard annual rates are detailed below:
- Light goods vehicles (up to 3,500kg): £345 per year
Some Euro 4 and Euro 5 compliant light goods vehicles registered in specific date ranges have reduced rates (for example £140 per year), depending on the DVLA tax class.
Motorhomes
Motorhome tax is based on revenue weight (maximum/gross vehicle weight) and is split into two main groups:
- Private/light goods motorhomes (TC11, 3,500kg or less): based on engine size — £220 per year (up to 1549cc) or £360 per year (over 1549cc)
- Private heavy goods motorhomes (TC10, over 3,500kg): £171 per year
If your motorhome was first registered between 1 April 2017 and 11 March 2020, it may be taxed differently if it’s in the M1SP category and its CO₂ emissions are on the type approval certificate.
HGVs (heavy goods vehicles)
HGV tax is not a single flat rate. It depends on the vehicle’s tax band and whether it has road-friendly suspension. Rates vary by weight and axle configuration, and some vehicles may also be affected by the HGV levy.
If you want to check the official tables, you can also use GOV.UK guidance for other vehicle tax rates, motorhome tax rates and HGV tax.
Looking for more than tax costs?
Checking the tax cost is useful, but when you’re buying a used car it’s also important to buy a full history check.
Get a £5 car history check to help identify finance, theft, write-offs, mileage issues and more.
Get a £5 Car History Check