UK Car Tax Bands
Road tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) depends on when a car was first registered, its CO2 emissions and, for newer cars, its list price when new. Check any car's tax status and emissions, plus its full history, in one £15 report.
Included in your report:
- Tax status
- CO2 emissions & fuel type
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off history
- Stolen status
- Mileage & MOT history
How car tax bands work.
Which rules apply depends on when the car was first registered.
Registered from 1 April 2017
The first year's tax is set by CO2 emissions. From the second year, petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric cars all pay the same standard rate of £200 a year, plus the expensive car supplement if the list price was over £40,000.
Registered 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017
Taxed every year by CO2 band, from band A (up to 100g/km) at £20 to band M at £790. Every fuel type pays the same band rate.
Registered before 1 March 2001
Taxed on engine size: £230 a year for 1,549cc or less, £375 above that. Cars built more than 40 years ago can qualify for the historic vehicle tax class and pay nothing.
Buying used? The first owner already paid the first-year rate, so you pay the standard or band rate. Get a quick estimate with the free car tax check, or look up a car's spec by registration.
VED rates by CO2 band.
For cars first registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017. Single 12-month payments for the 2026/27 tax year.
| Band | CO2 (g/km) | 12-month rate |
|---|---|---|
| A | Up to 100 | £20 |
| B | 101 to 110 | £20 |
| C | 111 to 120 | £35 |
| D | 121 to 130 | £170 |
| E | 131 to 140 | £200 |
| F | 141 to 150 | £225 |
| G | 151 to 165 | £275 |
| H | 166 to 175 | £325 |
| I | 176 to 185 | £360 |
| J | 186 to 200 | £410 |
| K | 201 to 225 | £445 |
| L | 226 to 255 | £760 |
| M | Over 255 | £790 |
Cars registered before 23 March 2006 are capped at band K, whatever their CO2. Cars registered from April 2017 pay the £200 standard rate after their first year instead. Paying by Direct Debit costs a little more. Confirm exact figures on GOV.UK.
Electric and hybrid car tax.
Electric cars lost their road tax exemption on 1 April 2025, and the discount for alternative fuel cars ended at the same time.
Electric, from April 2017
Pay the standard rate of £200 a year, the same as petrol and diesel cars of the same age. New electric cars pay the lowest first-year rate, then the standard rate.
Electric, 2001 to 2017
Sit in band A and pay £20 a year, the lowest band rate.
Hybrids
Taxed like any petrol or diesel car: by CO2 band if registered before April 2017, and at the standard rate after the first year if newer.
Check a car's tax band and history.
Enter the registration to see emissions, fuel type, tax status and the full vehicle history.
- Instant results
- All checks included
- £30,000 data guarantee
The £40,000 expensive car supplement.
If a car registered from 1 April 2017 had a list price over £40,000 when new (£50,000 for electric cars), including options, the keeper pays an extra £440 a year on top of the standard rate. It applies for 5 years, starting from the second time the car is taxed.
So a car that listed at £45,000 pays £200 + £440 = £640 a year in years two to six, then the standard £200 from year seven.
It is based on the original list price, not what the car is worth now. A three-year-old car that listed at £42,000 still has two years of the supplement to run, however much it has depreciated.
Why tax bands matter when buying used.
Tax does not transfer with the car. The seller gets a refund for full remaining months and you must tax it before you drive away, so the annual rate is your cost from day one.
Annual running cost
A pre-2017 car in band M costs £790 a year to tax, about £66 a month before fuel, insurance or servicing.
First-year rate already paid
The higher first-year "showroom tax" only applies once. As a used buyer, you pay the standard rate or band rate going forward, which is often different from the headline figure.
Supplement surprises
A car that looks like a bargain at £18,000 might still be inside its supplement window, adding £440 a year the seller might not mention.
Beyond tax status
Tax band is one piece of the picture. A full car history check also reveals outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off records and mileage discrepancies.
Where our data comes from.
Every Carpeep report draws from UK vehicle data sources. We do not create, edit or estimate any data. We present the records as they are held.
DVLA
Vehicle registration, keeper history, import/export status and vehicle specifications.
DVSA
Full MOT test history including results, advisories, mileage readings at each test and expiry dates.
Insurance industry records
Recorded write-off markers such as Cat A, B, S and N from insurance industry records.
UK finance lenders
Recorded outstanding finance agreements, including HP, PCP and conditional sale records where available.
Police stolen vehicle records
Recorded stolen vehicle markers from UK police stolen vehicle records, checked against the registration and vehicle identity data.
Vehicle identity checks
Plate changes, the recorded vehicle details and the last five characters of the VIN, to check against the car.
Car Tax Bands FAQs
How do I find out which tax band my car is in?
You can check your car's tax band on the V5C logbook, through the DVLA's online vehicle enquiry service, or by entering the registration into a Carpeep vehicle check. The band is set by the car's CO2 emissions and when it was first registered.
Why do most cars registered after April 2017 pay the same tax?
The government simplified VED in April 2017. After the first year, petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric cars all pay a flat standard rate (currently £200) whatever their CO2 emissions. CO2 only sets the first-year rate for these cars. Electric cars were exempt until 1 April 2025 and now pay the standard rate too.
Do electric cars pay road tax?
Yes, since 1 April 2025. Electric cars registered from April 2017 pay the standard rate of £200 a year from their second year, electric cars registered between March 2001 and March 2017 pay the band A rate of £20, and new electric cars pay the lowest first-year rate before moving to the standard rate.
What is the expensive car supplement?
Cars registered from 1 April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new (£50,000 for electric cars) pay an extra £440 a year on top of the standard rate. It applies for 5 years from the second time the car is taxed, and is based on the original list price, not what the car is worth today.
Does car tax transfer when I buy a used car?
No. When a vehicle changes hands, any remaining tax is cancelled and the seller receives a refund for full remaining months. As the new keeper, you must tax the vehicle in your name before driving it on a public road. You can do this at a Post Office or online through the DVLA.
Are VED rates the same across the whole UK?
Yes. Vehicle Excise Duty is set by the UK government and applies uniformly across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There are no regional variations in VED rates.
Tax band is just the start.
A Carpeep report shows tax status, CO2 emissions and fuel type, plus finance, theft, write-offs, mileage and ownership history. One report, one price, no subscription.
- Full vehicle history
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