Note: This guide was updated in September 2026 and reflects the car tax (VED) rates in force for the 2026 to 2027 tax year.
This guide explains how to tax a car in the UK, whatever its age or fuel type. Car tax, or road tax, is officially called Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
It is mandatory for every car registered in the UK, and you need to apply for it in all cases. The tax is due no matter how much you drive.
So even if your car sits unused on a driveway or private road, you must still tax it. If you are not using it, you can declare it off the road with a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) instead.
Alternatively, you can do a road tax check. If you need to cancel your road tax, you can find out how in our guide to cancelling road tax.
The UK government has made several changes to car tax bands in recent years. Below, we help you find out what tax is due on your car every year, and how the rules may affect your future tax rate.
Changes to UK road tax (VED) can significantly alter your car’s running costs, so it is worth checking your car tax band.
Car tax explained:
- How much car tax should I pay? Car tax bands and rates explained
- Cars registered before 1st March 2001
- Cars registered between 1st March 2001, and 31st March, 2017
- Cars registered between 1st April 2017, and 31st March, 2025
- Cars registered on or after the 1st April 2025
- What is the expensive car supplement?
- What were the recent car tax changes in the UK?
- Is my vehicle exempt from car tax?
- How do I pay car tax online?
- How do I pay car tax by phone?
- How do I pay car tax at the Post Office?
- What should I do if my road tax is going up?
- FAQs
How much car tax should I pay? Car tax bands and rates explained.
How much tax you pay each year depends on which VED band your car falls into. The UK government has climate and emissions targets to hit. So the VED bands are largely based on your car’s CO2 emissions and fuel type.
Most cars registered on or after 1 April 2017 pay a standard annual rate of £200 for the 2026 to 2027 tax year. This figure comes from GOV.UK, and it applies from the second year, with first-year rates based on CO2 emissions.
There are different rates of tax depending on when your car was first registered. This means the first time it was ever sold when new. Even if you are the second or third owner of your car, it does not change the band your car falls into.
It is worth checking your car’s tax band on GOV.UK before you buy a used car. That way you know exactly what tax might be due, and when.
Alternative fuel vehicles used to have separate, slightly lower rates. These include hybrids, bioethanol, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).
See the tables below to find your tax rate, based on your registration year and emissions. You will find both details in your V5C logbook.
Cars registered before 1st March 2001
If your car was first registered before 1 March 2001, the tax rate is based simply on engine size. There are only two tiers for cars first registered before this date.
According to GOV.UK, the current rate for engines up to 1549cc is £230 per year, and the rate for engines over 1549cc is £375 per year.
Cars from this period may also face local emissions charges, such as those in the UK’s Clean Air Zones (CAZs).
Cars registered between 1st March 2001, and 31st March, 2017
Cars first registered between 2001 and 2017 pay a standard VED rate each year based on their emissions. The rate goes up with emissions. Standard family cars from this period typically emit at least 125g/km of CO2, while SUVs and other large vehicles emit even more.
The £10 alternative fuel discount was removed on 1 April 2025, so there is now a single rate for each band. Band A now pays the same rate as Band B, which is £20. The current annual rates, according to GOV.UK, are as follows:
| Band and CO2 emissions | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| A: up to 100g/km | £20 |
| B: 101 to 110g/km | £20 |
| C: 111 to 120g/km | £35 |
| D: 121 to 130g/km | £170 |
| E: 131 to 140g/km | £200 |
| F: 141 to 150g/km | £225 |
| G: 151 to 165g/km | £275 |
| H: 166 to 175g/km | £325 |
| I: 176 to 185g/km | £360 |
| J: 186 to 200g/km | £410 |
| K: 201 to 225g/km | £445 |
| L: 226 to 255g/km | £760 |
| M: over 255g/km | £790 |
Cars registered between 1st April, 2017 and 31st March, 2025
| Band and CO2 emissions | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| A: up to 100g/km | £20 |
| B: 101 to 110g/km | £20 |
| C: 111 to 120g/km | £35 |
| D: 121 to 130g/km | £170 |
| E: 131 to 140g/km | £200 |
| F: 141 to 150g/km | £225 |
| G: 151 to 165g/km | £275 |
| H: 166 to 175g/km | £325 |
| I: 176 to 185g/km | £360 |
| J: 186 to 200g/km | £410 |
| K: 201 to 225g/km | £445 |
| L: 226 to 255g/km | £760 |
| M: over 255g/km | £790 |
Cars registered between 1st April, 2017 and 31st March, 2025
The table below is an illustrative historical reference. It shows the first-year VED rates that applied to cars new from the April 2017 tax year until the end of the 2024/25 tax year. For the exact figure for a specific car, check GOV.UK:
| Vehicle CO2 emissions | First year tax rate | Second year+ tax rate | Expensive car supplement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0g/km | £0 | £0 | £0 |
| 1 to 50g/km | £0 for alternative fuel; £10 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £30 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
| 51 to 75g/km | £20 for alternative fuel; £30 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £130 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
| 76 to 90g/km | £120 for alternative fuel; £130 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £165 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
| 91 to 100g/km | £155 for alternative fuel; £165 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £185 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
| 101 to 110g/km | £175 for alternative fuel; £185 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £210 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
| 111 to 130g/km | £200 for alternative fuel; £210 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £255 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
| 131 to 150g/km | £245 for alternative fuel; £255 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £645 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
| 151 to 170g/km | £635 for alternative fuel; £645 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £1,040 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
| 171 to 190g/km | £1,030 for alternative fuel; £1,040 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £1,565 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
| 191 to 225g/km | £1,555 for alternative fuel; £1,565 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £2,220 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
| Over 255g/km | £2,595 for alternative fuel; £2,605 for petrol and RDE2 standard diesel; £2,605 for non-RDE2 standard diesel | £170 for alternative fuel, £180 for petrol or diesel | £390 |
Since 1 April 2025, these cars, including zero-emission cars, pay the standard rate. That rate is £200 for the 2026 to 2027 tax year, according to GOV.UK. Zero-emission cars registered before 1 April 2025 remain exempt from the expensive car supplement.
Cars registered on or after 1st April, 2025
These rates are in force now. From 1 April 2025, VED for all new cars was simplified into two first-year categories. One standard rate then applies to all cars from the second year onwards.
Zero-emission cars registered on or after this date are also liable for the expensive car supplement.
According to GOV.UK, the current rates are:
| Vehicle type | First-year rate | Standard rate (second year onward) | Expensive car supplement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zero-emission and battery-electric cars | £10 | £200 | £440 (list price over £50,000) |
| Petrol, diesel, and alternative fuel cars | Based on CO2 (£10 to £5,690) | £200 | £440 (list price over £40,000) |
What is the expensive car supplement?
Cars with a list price of more than £40,000 pay an extra £440 a year on top of the standard rate, according to GOV.UK. The list price is the advertised price before any discounts. For zero-emission cars registered on or after 1 April 2025, the threshold is a list price over £50,000.
You pay this supplement for five years, starting from the second time the car is taxed. So years two to seven of ownership carry higher tax costs than later years. The car will likely still be under warranty, though, keeping maintenance costs low.
This tax is still due even if the car changes hands within the five-year period. So check whether it applies to any used car you are buying
Is my vehicle exempt from car tax?
Some vehicles are not subject to paying any car tax, including:
- Historic vehicles built more than 40 years ago, on a rolling basis. According to GOV.UK, for the 2026 to 2027 tax year this covers cars built before 1 January 1986. The exemption is not automatic, so you need to apply to move your car into the historic tax class.
- Some recipients of Disability Living Allowance
- Some recipients of Personal Independence Payment
- Some recipients of Adult Disability Payment
- Some recipients of Child Disability Payment
- Recipients of War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
- Recipients of Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Vehicles with a valid SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification)
If you are keeping a car off the road and not taxing it, you must declare a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), according to GOV.UK. You cannot drive a SORN’d car on public roads, except to a pre-booked MOT. Our guide to declaring a SORN walks you through it.
What were the recent car tax changes in the UK?
The UK government announced that electric cars would start paying VED, and that change came into force on 1 April 2025. According to GOV.UK, it applies to both new and existing vehicles.
Since then, electric, zero, and low-emission cars pay VED. GOV.UK confirms that zero-emission cars and vans now pay road tax at the same rate as their petrol counterparts, that the £10 alternative fuel discount has been removed, and that zero-emission cars registered between 2001 and 2017 now pay £20 per year.
The Treasury introduced this policy because the number of EV drivers keeps rising steadily as we move towards the electric switchover in 2035.
How to tax a car you’ve just bought
Knowing how to tax a car you have just bought is simple. You can tax it straight away using the green “new keeper” slip (the V5C/2) that the seller gives you. Enter its 12-digit reference number on GOV.UK and you can tax the car in minutes.
You must tax the car before you drive it, unless you are driving to a pre-booked MOT. If you do not have the logbook yet, our guide to selling a car without a V5C explains your options.
How do I pay car tax online?
Once you know how to tax a car, paying online is usually the quickest option. It is easy to pay your car tax on the Government website. You will be prompted to enter your details and your car’s details, before being given your amount due.
To pay this way, you will need the following documents to hand:
- Your V11 form, if you have it available
- Your V5C logbook
- Your SORN notice, if applicable
You will be asked for your 11-digit reference number. You can find it on the inside of your V5C logbook, near the words ‘Doc Ref No’.
Follow the steps to pay your VED online. The cheapest way to pay is always to pay the whole year in one go. You can also opt for different payment plans.
How do I pay car tax by phone?
If you would like to pay your car tax by phone, you can simply call the DVLA’s vehicle tax service on 0300 123 4321, the number listed on GOV.UK. It is a 24-hour service.
Note that it may cost up to 10p per minute on a landline, and 3p to 40p from your mobile. Always check with your provider.
Before the call, make sure you have your car’s VRM (vehicle registration mark) to hand. You will also need one of the forms mentioned above: a V11, V5C logbook, or V5C/2.
You can pay by debit or credit card over the phone, but you will not be able to set up a direct debit. You will need to do this online or at the Post Office.
How do I pay car tax at the Post Office?
Many people prefer to do things the old-fashioned way and pay their VED at their local Post Office. You will need to bring at least one of the forms mentioned above (V11, V5C logbook, or V5C/2) with you.
Simply head to your local branch with one of these forms and a member of staff will be able to help. When it comes to paying, you have plenty of options. The Post Office accepts:
- Direct Debit
- Cheque payable to Post Office Limited
- Debit Card
- Cash (excluding by post)
- Post Office Budget Card
- Postal Order
- Sterling travellers cheques
- Credit Card (£2.50 handling fee)
What should I do if my road tax is going up?
Drivers of older cars largely did not see much of an increase to their costs when the road tax changes came in during 2025. However, for EV drivers, as well as drivers of new and low-emission cars, the costs of their green choices have gone up.
Maybe you cannot keep up with the higher running costs, or you worry they will affect your car’s future saleability. Either way, it is worth seeing what you could get for your car today. Start with a free, instant valuation based on up-to-the-minute market data by entering your reg on the Motorway homepage or app.
We will then ask a few easy questions about your car. We will also guide you through the photos you need to complete your profile. It can be done right from your phone, in a matter of minutes.
If you enter your car into an online daily sale, we show it to our nationwide network of more than 8,000 verified dealers. They are all looking to add to their stock of used cars. Interested dealers will then compete to buy your car, offering you their best price.
In as little as 24 hours you will receive your best offer. If you choose to go ahead with the sale, the dealer collects your car. The money is then transferred quickly and securely to your bank account.
FAQs
What is the DVLA?
DVLA stands for ‘Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’. To drive in the UK your car must be registered, and you must be licensed to drive, with the DVLA.
The DVLA is a government agency responsible for collecting VED. It keeps a database of the registration and licensing status of every driver and car on UK roads.
The DVLA issues driving licences and registration certificates. It will also record driver endorsements, such as points on your licence and any consequent disqualifications. It has overall responsibility for collecting car tax and taking action against vehicle tax evaders.
How do I check how much tax to pay on my car?
If you are unsure which tax band your car falls into, you can check your car’s tax band and what is due on GOV.UK. Just enter your registration to see your tax rate and when it is next due. Find out more about how to check your tax status in our guide to running a car tax check.
Do I need to display a car tax disk in my windscreen?
The car tax disc is dead. Since 1 October 2014, as confirmed by GOV.UK, you are no longer required to display a tax disc. The DVLA now uses its database to check who has paid and who has not.
What happens if I pay my car tax late?
It is an offence to leave your vehicle untaxed, and the DVLA will issue you a Late Licensing Penalty (LLP), with a fine of £80. According to GOV.UK, the fine is reduced by half to £40 when you pay within 33 days.
LLPs, and all other DVLA fines and penalties, get sent to the registered keeper of a vehicle. Depending on your tax rate, the penalty could be even higher than your tax due.
So it is crucial to keep your V5C logbook updated when you change address. That way you avoid penalties and fines you are unaware of.
What documents do I need to tax a car?
To tax a car, you need one of the following, plus a valid MOT if your car needs one:
- A V11 reminder
- Your V5C logbook in your name
- The V5C/2 new keeper slip, if you have just bought the car
You can find the full list on GOV.UK.
Can I drive a car I’ve just bought before it’s taxed?
No. It is illegal to drive an untaxed car on public roads, except to drive to a pre-booked MOT. Taxing online is processed immediately, so you can tax the car and drive it the same day, according to GOV.UK.
How do I check if a car is taxed?
Enter the registration on Motorway’s free car tax check or on GOV.UK’s check service. Either one shows the car’s tax status and when it is next due.
Need more help?
Need to sell your car, or want to understand more about documentation or maintenance? Check out more of our guides here, covering everything from the paperwork you need when buying and selling, to various notices you may need to file with the UK’s driver and vehicle licensing agency.
- V5C – The ultimate guide to the V5 logbook
- How to sell a car without a V5C
- How to SORN a car
- Euro 6 emission standards and compliance
- What documents do I need to sell my car?
- Is my car insured? How to check your car has insurance
- What insurance group is my car? How to check your car’s insurance group
- Service history – the ultimate guide
- The ultimate guide to electric cars
- Car depreciation guide
- How much does it cost tax an electric car?