UK Vehicle Tax Calculator Check Road Tax Cost by Reg
Enter your registration plate to see your vehicle's current tax status, annual road tax cost, and when your tax is due for renewal.
Current Tax Status
Estimated Road Tax Cost
£ – £/year depending on CO2
Annual Cost
£0 £
6-Month Cost
£0 £
SORN — No Road Tax Required
Rate Type
Fuel Type
Engine
First Registered
MOT Status
MOT Expiry
Estimate only. Road tax costs are calculated using 2024/25 DVLA VED rates. The DVLA VES API does not return CO2 emissions data, so rates for some vehicles may show a range. Always confirm the exact amount on GOV.UK before renewing.
No V5C logbook for this vehicle?
We complete, print and post your V62 application to DVLA for you — no printer, no hassle.
How UK Road Tax (VED) Works in 2024/25
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) — commonly known as road tax or car tax — is an annual charge most UK drivers must pay to legally use their vehicle on public roads. Since 2014 the paper tax disc has been abolished, but the obligation to tax your vehicle remains. You can check and pay road tax online at GOV.UK, or renew at a Post Office.
How much you pay depends on several factors: when your vehicle was first registered, the fuel type, CO2 emissions (for vehicles registered between March 2001 and March 2017), and engine capacity (for vehicles registered before March 2001). Our calculator uses your registration plate to fetch DVLA data and apply the correct 2024/25 rate automatically.
Post-April 2017 (Standard Rate)
£190/yearPetrol/diesel cars registered on or after 1 April 2017 pay a flat standard rate of £190/year. Cars with a list price over £40,000 pay an additional £410 supplement for years 2–6.
Electric Vehicles (from April 2025)
£10 → £190/yearEVs registered before April 2025 were previously free. From 1 April 2025 they pay £10 in year one, then the standard £190/year rate. New EVs registered from April 2025 pay the standard rate from year one.
March 2001 – March 2017 (CO2 Bands)
£0 – £695/yearThese vehicles are taxed on CO2 emissions across 13 bands (A–M). Band A (≤100g/km) is free; Band M (>255g/km) costs £695/year. Check your V5C for your exact CO2 figure.
Pre-March 2001 (Engine Size)
£180 – £295/yearOlder vehicles are taxed on engine size. Engines of 1,549cc or less pay £180/year; engines over 1,549cc pay £295/year.
What Is the £40,000 Luxury Car Supplement?
If you buy a new petrol, diesel, or hybrid vehicle with a list price over £40,000, you'll pay an additional £410/year supplement on top of the standard £190 rate — totalling £600/year — for the first five years after registration. This applies from year two (the second time you renew after first registration) and was introduced to ensure higher-value vehicles contribute more. Electric vehicles were previously exempt from this supplement but are now subject to it from April 2025.
Can I Pay Road Tax Every 6 Months?
Yes — DVLA allows you to pay road tax for either 12 months or 6 months at a time. There is a small premium for paying in 6-month instalments: the 6-month rate is 55% of the annual rate (rather than 50%), so it works out slightly more expensive than paying annually. For example, the standard £190/year rate becomes £104.50 for a 6-month payment.
Direct debit monthly payments are also available, costing 5% more than the annual rate (split into equal monthly payments). Always renew before your tax expires — an untaxed vehicle can attract a fine of up to £1,000 if caught on the road.
What Is SORN?
SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. If your vehicle is not being used or kept on a public road (e.g. stored in a private garage or driveway), you can declare it SORN and pay no road tax. A SORN is free to declare on GOV.UK and stays in place until the vehicle is taxed again or ownership changes. It's illegal to use or park a SORN vehicle on a public road.
Our calculator will show a £0 rate and an orange SORN badge if the DVLA record shows your vehicle is currently declared SORN. If you'd like to bring the vehicle back on the road, you'll need to tax it before driving.
Road Tax for Electric Vehicles After April 2025
The UK Government announced that electric vehicles (EVs) will no longer be exempt from road tax from 1 April 2025. EVs registered before April 2025 will pay £10 in their first year of tax after the change, then the standard £190/year rate from year two onwards. Brand-new EVs registered from April 2025 will pay the full standard rate from their first year.
The expensive car supplement (£410/year extra for vehicles priced over £40,000) now applies to electric vehicles too — a significant change for many premium EV owners. This was part of the Government's effort to normalise EV taxation as adoption grows.
CO2 Bands for 2001–2017 Vehicles
Vehicles registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 are taxed across 13 CO2 bands (A through M). Here's a summary of the key bands (2024/25 rates):
- Band A — Up to 100g/km: Free (£0)
- Band B — 101–110g/km: £20/year
- Band C — 111–120g/km: £35/year
- Band D — 121–130g/km: £145/year
- Band E — 131–140g/km: £185/year
- Band F — 141–150g/km: £200/year
- Band G — 151–165g/km: £240/year
- Band H — 166–175g/km: £290/year
- Band I — 176–185g/km: £315/year
- Band J — 186–200g/km: £360/year
- Band K — 201–225g/km: £415/year
- Band L — 226–255g/km: £580/year
- Band M — Over 255g/km: £695/year
The DVLA VES API we query does not return CO2 emissions data. To find your exact CO2 figure, check your V5C logbook (vehicle registration certificate). If you don't have your V5C, see below.
No V5C Logbook?
To renew your road tax, DVLA requires either your 11-digit V5C reference number or the new keeper section. If you've lost your V5C logbook, you'll need to apply for a replacement using the DVLA V62 form before you can tax the vehicle. CarForms handles the entire process for you — we complete, print and post your V62 to DVLA, including the £25 DVLA fee, for just £49.95.