Check car tax in seconds

How do you check a car's tax by registration?

You check car tax by entering the registration into a tax checker, which shows the annual and six-month VED rate, the date the tax is due, and whether the car is taxed or declared SORN.

GOV.UK also offers a free "check if a vehicle is taxed" tool that confirms tax and MOT status. A full check shows the rate as well, so you know the running cost, not just the status.

1. Enter the registration into the car tax checker above.
2. See the annual and six-month VED rate and the next due date.
3. Check whether the car is currently taxed or declared SORN (off the road).

How much is car tax in 2026?

For most cars registered after April 2017 the standard rate of VED is £195 a year, rising to £200 from 1 April 2026. New cars pay a separate, emissions-based first-year rate before moving to the standard rate.

First-year rates scale steeply with emissions, from around £10 for the cleanest cars to several thousand pounds for the highest-emitting models. After the first year, most petrol and diesel cars settle onto the flat standard rate.

What is the expensive car supplement?

Cars with a list price over £40,000 when new pay an extra "expensive car supplement" on top of the standard rate, for five years from the second year of registration. This adds several hundred pounds a year.

The supplement is based on the original list price, not what you pay second-hand, so a used car bought cheaply can still attract it. From 1 April 2026 the threshold for zero-emission cars rises to £50,000, easing the charge on cheaper EVs.

Do electric cars pay road tax?

Yes. The VED exemption for electric vehicles ended on 1 April 2025. EVs now pay a small first-year rate and then the standard annual rate, like petrol and diesel cars.

This is a recent and important change: an EV that was tax-free a year ago now has a road-tax cost, so do not assume an electric car is exempt when you work out its running costs.

Does car tax transfer when you buy a car?

No. Road tax no longer transfers with a car. When a car is sold, the DVLA cancels the seller's tax and refunds any full remaining months, and the new owner must tax it before driving away.

This catches many buyers out. Even if the seller's tax had months left, you cannot drive the car until you have taxed it in your own name, which you can do instantly at gov.uk using the new keeper details on the V5C.

What does it mean if a car is SORN or untaxed?

SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) means the car has been declared off the road, so no tax is due while it is not used or kept on public roads. A SORN does not transfer to a new owner.

A SORN or untaxed status is normal for a car that has been off the road and is not a red flag in itself. But the SORN ends when you buy the car, so you must either tax it or make a fresh SORN before keeping it. Budget to tax it before you drive.

Why check car tax before buying?

Checking the tax tells you the car's yearly running cost, confirms it is road-legal to drive away, and flags an expensive car supplement that could cost you hundreds extra each year.

Knowing the VED rate before you buy avoids nasty surprises, especially on bigger-engined or higher-value cars where the tax and supplement can add up to a significant annual cost.