What's included in our car tax check?
Quickly check if your vehicle is taxed in the UK
In the UK, owners of any vehicle driven or kept on a public road have to pay the annual Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), also called road tax or car tax. Even if a vehicle doesn't require payment due to exemptions (like historic vehicles or those used by disabled persons), you still need to register it as taxed with the DVLA.
The amount of road tax you'll need to pay depends primarily on your car's CO2 emissions and list price. Vehicles registered after April 1, 2017, have first-year tax rates based on CO2 emissions per km, ranging from £0 for zero-emissions vehicles to £2,175 for over 255g/km. After the first year, they switch to a standard rate, with extra charges for diesel vehicles failing to meet emission standards and cars over £40,000, which are taxed higher for five years starting from their second taxation.
Cars registered from March 1, 2001, to March 31, 2017, are taxed based on CO2 emissions, with rates varying by emission bands. Until 2025, those emitting less than 100g/km CO2 are exempt from VED.
With our tool, you can easily confirm your vehicle's tax status and determine the amount of tax you'll need to pay.
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Why check a vehicle's road tax?
The amount of car tax you'll owe depends on your vehicle's age, fuel type, and how much CO2 it releases. Staying on top of when your road tax is due can save you from penalties and keep your driving record clean.
Penalties for driving without road tax can be severe.
Checking road tax prevents fraudulent activity.
FAQs about car tax in the UK
If our checker tells you your vehicle is not taxed, you have two options: declare it off the road with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) or pay the vehicle tax on the DVLA website.
If you don't pay road tax or take your vehicle off the road with a SORN, you could face significant penalties. Initially, you might receive a late licensing penalty of £80, which can be halved if you pay it within 33 days. If you're caught driving an untaxed vehicle without a SORN, the fine is £30 plus 1.5x the outstanding vehicle tax. Driving with a SORN will get you a £30 fine plus 2x the outstanding tax value. Failure to settle a fine like this will escalate the issue to court, where you could be fined up to £2,500.
You will have to set up a free account with us before accessing the car tax checker. This is a quick and easy process that only requires your email address and a password. By setting up a free account, you can also set up alerts for when it's time to tax your car for the next year.
Beyond that, you'll have unlimited access to all of our other tools and resources. By adding your vehicle information to your account, you can manage your road tax, MOT certificate, servicing schedule, insurance renewals, car valuation, and more from one easy-to-use dashboard.