How Much Car Tax Do I Owe? (And How to Check Instantly)

It’s a question we hear a lot: “how much is my car tax?” Even more so since the government’s 2025 car tax changes came in. Many drivers are left unsure exactly how much road tax they have to pay - if any.

Let’s make it simple. Here, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about your car tax in 2025, including how tax is calculated, how much your car tax is going up by in 2025, and, most importantly, how to check your car tax instantly. 

Overview of the Current UK Car Tax System

There’s been some form of vehicle tax in the UK for well over 100 years. The main aim of this tax has always been to maintain and improve Britain’s road system. With more drivers on the road in 2025 (over 40 million!), the need for funding is greater than ever.

Today, UK drivers pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), although it’s often simply called “car tax” or “road tax”. This is a taxation system that’s mostly based on fuel - more specifically, how much CO2 a vehicle produces. Other factors are involved, too. But more on that later.

In the UK, car tax is mainly handled by three bodies:

• The DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) - responsible for administering and collecting car tax. They keep the central register of vehicles, send reminders, process payments, issue tax discs (historically), and enforce penalties for non-payment.
• HMRC (His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs) - not directly involved in car tax collection, but they play a role in other related areas like import duties and VAT on vehicles.
• Local councils - councils don’t set or collect VED, but they play an important role in enforcement. That means they might be involved in clamping or removing untaxed vehicles, for instance, or overseeing parking permits.

The most important thing you should know is that car tax rates changed in April 2025. For most drivers, they rose.

Factors That Decide How Much Car Tax You Owe

How exactly is car tax calculated in the UK? Well, the system is based on a range of factors. How old your vehicle is, its fuel type, how much CO2 it emits per km, the size of the engine, and its weight all play a role.

Here’s a breakdown of how it all works:

Vehicle Age and Registration Date
There are many categories that dictate the VED rate, but the first is age. The easiest way to find out your car tax rate manually is to find out which age category it falls into. All vehicles are separated into one of these categories:

• First registered before March 1st 2001 - taxed based on engine size rather than emissions.
• First registered between March 1st 2001 and April 1st 2017 - taxed based on CO2 emissions.
• First registered after April 1st 2017 - first year taxed on CO2 emissions, second year on a flat standard rate.

Fuel Type (Petrol, Diesel, Hybrid, Electric)

For petrol and diesel (ICE) vehicles first registered before April 2017, the traditional CO2-based taxation system remains the same, if costs are slightly higher. However, things have changed a lot for electric and hybrid vehicles.

As of April 2025, electric and zero-emission vehicles are no longer fully exempt. New EVs will pay a first-year “showroom” tax of £10, then move onto the standard rate of £195 from the second year onwards.

EVs with a listing price over £40,000 will also be subject to the Expensive Car Supplement, which is £425 a year for five years.

Likewise, hybrids and other alternative-fuel cars have lost their £10 discount and now pay the full standard rate.

CO2 Emissions and Environmental Bands

For most UK drivers - that is, for drivers with cars registered between March 1st 2001 and April 1st 2017 - VED is still based on CO2 emissions. There are 13 bands. The lowest, for cars that produce up to 100 g/km of CO2, the tax rate is £20. However, that goes up incrementally all the way to £760 for those that produce over 255 g/km.

For cars registered before March 2001, CO2 emissions aren’t relevant to taxation.

For vehicles first registered after April 2017, CO2 emissions play a role. At least, for a while. For their first year, new cars will be on a different CO2 emissions-based tax rate (with wider-ranging prices of up to £5490). However, from year two onwards, these vehicles switch to a standard rate of £195.

Engine Size and Vehicle Weight Considerations

In some cases, engine size is the only factor involved in tax rates. Vehicles first registered before March 2001 are separated into two engine-size categories:

• Less than 1549cc - £220
• More than 1549cc - £360

Some light goods vehicles (vans) up to 3,500 kg also have set rates based on Euro emission standards and VED banding rules.

Historic and Classic Vehicles Exemptions

Owners of classic cars will be pleased to hear the 40-year rule hasn’t been touched. That means that as of April 1st 2025, any vehicle first registered before January 1st 1985 can be classed as historic and exempt from VED.

However, exemption isn’t automatic. You still have to tax the vehicle, even if you’re not paying anything. It’s your responsibility to tell the DVLA and officially register your vehicle as “historic”.

How to Instantly Check Your Car Tax Online

Wondering, “how much is my car tax by reg?” There are several easy ways to find out. The quickest way is to simply find out by entering a few details into a free online car tax checker. This will tell you straight away which tax band you fall into and how much you owe.

If you'd prefer, you can also use the DVLA “how much is my car tax?” tool:

DVLA Vehicle Tax Check Tool

The DVLA has its own car tax checker. While it’s mostly there to help drivers check if they’re properly taxed, you can also use it to find out your current tax rate.

The DVLA car tax checking tool is a simple, easy-to-use feature that should give you your answer in minutes - provided you have the right information.

What Information You Need Before Checking

You don’t actually need much information to check your current tax rate via the DVLA. If you simply want to check that your vehicle is taxed or declared SORN, all you need is:

• The vehicles’ registration number (number plate).

If you want to check current tax rates for your vehicle, but not necessarily see if you’re properly taxed, you can look this up very easily. All you’ll need is:

• The 11-digit reference number from your V5C logbook.

Step-by-Step Process to See How Much You Owe

Once you’ve got your required information to hand, checking your current tax rate is very straightforward. Simply follow these steps:

1. Head to the DVLA’s “check if a vehicle is taxed” page.
2. Click “Start now”.
3. Enter your vehicle reg number or 11-digit V5 reference number when prompted.
4. See results.

Note that if you’ve declared your vehicle SORN, you might not see an instant change in status. It can take a couple of days to process this, so be patient.

Common Errors That Prevent Instant Checks

Usually, checking your car tax rates is very straightforward. However, things can, from time to time, go wrong.

If you’re facing an “error” message and can’t seem to find any answers, it’s usually down to incorrect or incomplete information. Here’s what we recommend:

• Check your number plate is correct and in full.
• Check you’ve entered the correct reference number from your V5. It should be 11 digits long.

If you’re still not having any luck, you can always head to the DVLA’s “Rates of vehicle tax” PDF and look up your current tax rate manually.

Trade to trade car marketplace

• Trade-only marketplace
• Flexible selling options
• Maximise your profits

Sign up now

4.9 out of 5 Stars

Car Tax Costs for Different Vehicle Types

To make things as easy as possible, we’ve also listed the current UK road tax rates below. Here, you can find out exactly how much car tax you owe without even needing a car tax calculator.

Here’s a simple breakdown of current car tax costs for different types of vehicles:

Standard Petrol and Diesel Cars

How much car tax you owe on a petrol or diesel car in 2025/26 depends on when the car was first registered. For cars registered between March 1st 2001 and April 1st 2017, rates are as follows:

For petrol and diesel cars registered on or after April 1st 2017, the rate is standardised:

For petrol and diesel cars registered on or after April 1st 2025, things are a little different. From the second year onwards, these cars will pay the standard rate of £195. However, before that, they’ll pay a first-year “showroom tax” based on CO2 emissions:

Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

The government has standardised VED to now include electric and hybrid vehicles. That means that for all intents and purposes, vehicle tax on electric and hybrid vehicles is now the same as that for petrol and diesel cars. However, as zero-emission and even hybrid cars produce less CO2, they’ll often fall into the cheapest categories.

For EV and hybrid vehicles registered between March 1st 2001 and April 1st 2017, the bands are the same as for petrol and diesel cars:

For EV and hybrid vehicles registered between April 1st 2017 and April 1st 2025, the standard rate of £195 applies.

For EV and hybrid vehicles registered on or after April 1st 2025, there will be a first-year rate based on CO2 emissions, which will cost between £10 (for zero-emissions vehicles) and £5,490 (for vehicles producing over 255g/km).

From then on, it’ll be the standard rate of £195.

Vans, Motorhomes, and Other Large Vehicles

Current car tax rates are less complicated for other types of vehicles:

• Vans (light goods vehicle weighing no more than 3,500kg) - £345
• Motorhomes (private or light goods weighing no more than 3,500kg) - £220 if the engine size is less than 1549cc, £360 if it’s over.
• Motorhomes (private heavy goods over 3,500kg) - £171
• Euro 4 & Euro 5 light goods vehicles weighing no more than 3,500kg - £140

Motorcycles and Scooters

For motorcycles, the car tax rate is based on the engine size, regardless of whether or not it has a sidecar:

When and How to Pay Your Car Tax

Paying your car tax is a pretty straightforward process. Just follow these steps:

1. Go to the DVLA’s “Tax your vehicle” page.
2. Gather your required documents. That includes a reference number from either:
   1. A vehicle tax reminder letter
   2. Your V5C logbook
   3. Your green “new keeper” slip 
3. Click “Start now”.
4. Enter your details and set up payment.

To pay your car tax in person:

1. Gather the payment for the tax and either your V5C or your “new keeper” slip.
2. Go to your nearest Post Office that handles tax.
3. Send application.

There’s no set deadline for paying your car tax in the UK. However, you do have to pay one year from your last payment. If you can’t remember when you last paid, don’t worry: the DVLA will send a V11 reminder notice about a month in advance.

Consequences of Not Paying Car Tax on Time

Unless you’re exempt for a specific reason, it’s illegal to drive a vehicle that’s not properly taxed.

If you’re caught, the starting fine is £80. If you continue to fail to pay the fine, that can go up to £1,000. You’ll also have to pay the extra tax you haven’t paid.

Aside from a fine, your vehicle could be clamped or even crushed in certain circumstances.

Special Car Tax Situations

There are only a few circumstances in which a driver is not required to pay car tax on their vehicle. You don’t have to pay car tax if you’re:

• Selling or scrapping a vehicle - if you’re actually selling or scrapping your car (not just planning to), you can cancel your car tax from the moment you no longer own it. You’ll have to prove you’ve transferred ownership. Note that car tax does not cancel automatically; you’re responsible for informing the DVLA.
• Disabled driver tax exemptions - some drivers don’t have to pay car tax (or can pay a 50%-reduced tax). However, these drivers have to prove they’re eligible by receiving either:
  • Higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • Enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Enhanced rate mobility component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
  • Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance
  • Higher rate mobility component of Child Disability Payment
  • War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Temporary stays in UK - foreign nationals who are not UK residents but will be driving in the UK for 6 months or less generally don’t need to pay road tax. However, if you stay longer, or indeed become a UK resident, you’ll have to start paying car tax.

How to Reduce or Avoid Paying High Car Tax

The only people who can reduce or even avoid paying car tax altogether are disabled drivers. Those in receipt of one of a range of disability benefits may be able to stop paying car tax, or get the 50% reduction. You can check if you’re eligible on the DVLA website.

However, any driver could, in theory, reduce their road tax contributions by changing their vehicle. For example, vehicles over 40 years old are classed as “historic vehicles” and become tax-exempt. However, these cars generally cost more to run!

If you study the tax bands, you may find that buying a more fuel-efficient car made after March 2001 could, in some cases, lower your car tax costs, too.

Step-by-Step Example: Checking and Paying Tax for a Used Car

Thinking of buying a used car? It’s a good idea to find out as much as you can about the vehicle before you invest. Luckily, it’s a relatively straightforward process:

How to Verify Car Tax Before Buying

Most car dealerships will list or display a car’s tax band upfront. If you want to verify this, you can use a handy online car tax checker. All you have to do is enter the car’s registration number and see the results!

We also recommend finding out the car’s MOT history with a quick online search, too. This should alert you to any nasty surprises.

What Happens If the Previous Owner Hasn’t Paid

Car tax doesn’t automatically transfer with ownership. Even if the seller has paid for the month, the tax is automatically cancelled when the DVLA is notified of the sale.

As the new owner, it’s down to you to tax the car yourself before driving it away, regardless of the previous owner’s payment status.

Ensuring Continuous Tax Coverage After Purchase

You have to pay car tax every year. That even applies to those paying by Direct Debit or those who plan to sell a car. Even if you’re transferring ownership one month into your new tax year, you’ll have to pay the year’s tax and then wait for a refund after the transfer is complete. This makes sure the vehicle is always taxed.

You have three options for paying car tax:

1. Online through the GOV.uk website.
2. By phone at 0300 123 4321.
3. By post at a Post Office (the office must handle tax).

In many cases, you can pay your car tax:

• Annually
• Six-monthly
• Monthly

If you’re not paying in one lump sum, it’s a good idea to set up a handy Direct Debit to pay automatically.

Final Thoughts

How much car tax you owe is based on four factors:

1. The age of the vehicle.
2. Its fuel type.
3. Its CO2 emissions.
4. Its engine size and vehicle weight.

This can make car tax complex. We laid out every tax band earlier so you can see how much your tax is easily. Don’t forget, you can find how much car tax you owe at any time on the government’s “Vehicle tax rates” page.

These rates could change with any new budget. We recommend checking in on the tax rates page every year before you pay to make sure you’re fully up to date.