Car Tax Check
Check if your car is taxed, and check the road tax cost of any vehicle.
What is road tax?
Road tax (also known as VED tax or road fund licence) is a fee you have to pay in order to drive your vehicle on UK roads. It’s a way of contributing towards the upkeep of our lovely highways and byways, as well as helping to reduce pollution and congestion on our roads.
How much is it to tax my car?
The amount of road tax you have to pay depends on a number of factors, such as the type of vehicle you have, its age, cost and its CO2 emissions. Generally, the older and more polluting your car is, the more you’ll have to pay – so if you’re driving around in a gas-guzzling monster that spews out fumes like a fire-breathing dragon, you’ll be shelling out more than someone who’s cruising around in an eco-friendly hybrid or an uber trendy electric vehicle.
What is premium rate road tax?
Since 2017, the UK government has imposed a luxury car tax on vehicles with a list price (that’s the price before any discounts) of over £40,000. If the list price of your car exceeds this threshold, you may have to pay an additional fee of £355 per year for the first five years of ownership on top of the standard yearly road tax. This also applies to vehicles you buy second-hand but are under 5 years old. You do not have to pay the additional premium rate surcharge if you have a zero-emission vehicle.
Can I drive a car with an expired MOT?
While understanding our ever changing VED tax bands (Vehicle Excise Duty) and their associated charges can be complicated, you’ll be pleased to read there are some exemptions and discounts available, such as for electric vehicles or if your vehicle is over 40 years old and is classed as a historic vehicle. So if you’re lucky enough to have a vintage set of wheels or drive a flashy toaster, you might be in for a treat!
One thing to note, however, is even if your car is exempt from vehicle tax and there is no charge levied, you’ll still have to apply to tax your vehicle.
How to pay road tax?
You can pay road tax online using DVLA’s Tax Your Vehicle service, by phone, or at a Post Office that deals with vehicle tax. You’ll need one of the following documents to hand, so it’s best to check you know where they are and to put them in a safe place at least a month before the expiry of your current road tax –
- a recent reminder (V11) or ‘last chance’ warning letter from DVLA
- your vehicle log book (V5C) – it must be in your name
- the green ‘new keeper’ slip from a log book if you’ve just bought the vehicle
Once you’ve completed the payment, you’ll receive a confirmation email from the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) confirming that your vehicle is taxed. If you pay by direct debit, the tax will be renewed automatically each year, and you’ll be notified of the payment before it is taken out of your account.
