UK car tax calculator with the 2026/27 VED rates
This UK car tax calculator works out Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) — what most people call car tax or road tax — for any car or motorcycle taxed in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. It uses the rates in the GOV.UK vehicle tax rate tables that apply from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, and picks the right system from the date the vehicle was first registered.
For a new car it shows the first-year “showroom” tax by CO2 band, what you pay in years 2 to 6 (with the expensive car supplement if the list price is high enough) and the standard rate after that. For older cars it finds the CO2 band A to M, or the engine-size rate for cars registered before March 2001. Everything is worked out in your browser.
How to work out your car tax
- Choose Car or Motorcycle.
- Enter the First registered date from the V5C logbook and the Fuel type.
- Enter the CO2 emissions (V5C section V.7), or the Engine size for cars registered before 1 March 2001 and for motorcycles.
- For cars registered from April 2017, enter the List price when new and choose Which payment you want to see.
- Pick How you pay — 12 months, 12 monthly Direct Debits, or 6 months — and read the amount, the year-by-year bars and the highlighted row of the official table.
UK Car Tax Calculator (VED) features
All three car systems
After April 2017 by CO2 then flat rate; March 2001 to March 2017 by CO2 band A–M; before March 2001 by engine size.
Expensive car supplement
£440 a year in years 2 to 6 for list prices over £40,000, or over £50,000 for electric cars registered from 1 April 2025.
Electric cars
£10 first year then £200 for new EVs; the band A rate for EVs registered from 2001 to March 2017.
Payment options
Single 12-month or 6-month payments and Direct Debit totals, as GOV.UK lists them.
Six-year cost
Bars and a total for the first six years of a new car, at today’s rates.
Car tax for cars registered from 1 April 2017
The first tax payment depends on CO2 emissions and covers 12 months. Diesel cars that do not meet the Real Driving Emissions 2 (RDE2) standard pay the higher column. From the second payment every car — petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric — pays the standard rate of £200 a year (£210 by 12 monthly Direct Debits, £110 for 6 months).
Cars with a list price over £40,000 pay an extra £440 a year, £640 in total, for five years from the second time the car is taxed. For electric cars the threshold is £50,000; HM Treasury’s November 2025 policy paper raised it from 1 April 2026 for zero emission cars registered from 1 April 2025. Zero emission cars registered before 1 April 2025 do not pay the supplement.
Worked example: a petrol car at 128 g/km with a £42,000 list price pays £455 when registered, £640 a year in years 2 to 6 and £200 from year 7 — £3,655 over the first six years.
| CO2 (g/km) | Petrol, RDE2 diesel, hybrid, EV | Other diesel |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | £10 | £10 |
| 1–50 | £115 | £135 |
| 51–75 | £135 | £280 |
| 76–90 | £280 | £365 |
| 91–100 | £365 | £405 |
| 101–110 | £405 | £455 |
| 111–130 | £455 | £560 |
| 131–150 | £560 | £1,410 |
| 151–170 | £1,410 | £2,270 |
| 171–190 | £2,270 | £3,420 |
| 191–225 | £3,420 | £4,850 |
| 226–255 | £4,850 | £5,690 |
| Over 255 | £5,690 | £5,690 |
Older cars, historic cars and motorcycles
- 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017: the rate follows the CO2 band, from £20 for band A (up to 100 g/km, including electric cars) to £790 for band M (over 255 g/km). Cars over 225 g/km registered before 23 March 2006 stay in band K (£445).
- Before 1 March 2001: £230 a year for engines up to 1,549 cc and £375 above that.
- Historic vehicles: from 1 April 2026 a vehicle built before 1 January 1986 (or registered before 8 January 1986 if the build date is unknown) can be taxed at £0, but you must apply for the historic tax class.
- Motorcycles: £27 up to 150 cc and for electric bikes, £59 for 151–400 cc, £90 for 401–600 cc and £125 above.
Where the numbers come from
All rates come from the GOV.UK pages Vehicle tax rate tables and Vehicle tax for electric, zero and low emission vehicles, both read on 19 October 2026, and the HM Treasury policy paper on the zero emission supplement threshold (26 November 2025). Rates usually rise each April, so check the date above. For loan repayments on a new car try the car loan calculator; for running costs, the cost per km calculator. In India, use the road tax calculator instead.
UK Car Tax Calculator (VED) FAQ
How do I calculate my car tax in the UK?
Find the first registration date, fuel type and CO2 figure on your V5C, then enter them in the UK car tax calculator above. It applies the GOV.UK table for that registration period and your chosen way of paying.
How much is car tax in 2026?
From 1 April 2026 the standard rate for cars registered since April 2017 is £200 a year, or £640 with the expensive car supplement. First-year rates run from £10 to £5,690 by CO2. Older cars pay £20 to £790 by band, or £230/£375 by engine size before March 2001.
Do electric cars pay car tax now?
Yes, since 1 April 2025. A new electric car pays £10 for the first year, then £200 a year. EVs registered from 1 April 2025 with a list price over £50,000 also pay the £440 supplement in years 2 to 6.
What is the expensive car supplement?
An extra £440 a year for five years, starting at the second payment, for cars registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 (over £50,000 for electric cars registered from April 2025). It is the list price when new that counts, not what you paid.
Is paying monthly more expensive?
Slightly. Twelve monthly Direct Debits add 5%: £210 instead of £200 for the standard rate. Paying 12 months at once by Direct Debit costs the same as a single payment.
Can I look up the tax by registration number?
Not here: that needs DVLA’s own vehicle enquiry service. Your V5C shows everything this calculator needs.
Is this exact?
It reproduces the published rates, but it is an estimate, not advice. Special cases such as disabled exemptions, motorhomes and imported vehicles are not covered; DVLA’s reminder gives the final figure.