Registration date
Cars registered before March 2001 use engine size. Later cars use CO₂ bands or the post-2017 first-year and standard-rate system.
Payment options
Published payment totals vary by tax band and payment method. Direct Debit instalments can cost more overall.
Illustrative timeline
See when the standard rate and expensive car supplement may apply.
Illustration uses 2026–27 rates for every year. Future VED rates normally change and are not guaranteed.
Compare cars
Add up to three calculations to compare annual VED on the same basis.
Applicable table
First-year rates for cars registered on or after 1 April 2017. The second column also covers petrol, RDE2-compliant diesel, alternative fuel and zero-emission cars.
| CO₂ emissions | Petrol, RDE2 diesel, alternative fuel & zero emission | Other diesel |
|---|---|---|
| 0g/km | £10 | £10 |
| 1–50g/km | £115 | £135 |
| 51–75g/km | £135 | £280 |
| 76–90g/km | £280 | £365 |
| 91–100g/km | £365 | £405 |
| 101–110g/km | £405 | £455 |
| 111–130g/km | £455 | £560 |
| 131–150g/km | £560 | £1,410 |
| 151–170g/km | £1,410 | £2,270 |
| 171–190g/km | £2,270 | £3,420 |
| 191–225g/km | £3,420 | £4,850 |
| 226–255g/km | £4,850 | £5,690 |
| Over 255g/km | £5,690 | £5,690 |
How it works
Cars registered before March 2001 use engine size. Later cars use CO₂ bands or the post-2017 first-year and standard-rate system.
CO₂ affects the band for many cars. A non-RDE2 diesel can move to a higher first-year rate. EV rules depend on registration date.
An additional rate can apply for five years from the second time a qualifying post-2017 car is taxed. The current threshold differs for electric cars.
Rates checked
21 September 2026This calculator uses Vehicle Excise Duty rates applicable from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. It provides an estimate for cars and is not an official DVLA quotation.
Yes. “Road tax” is the everyday name for Vehicle Excise Duty, or VED. It is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads rather than a charge based on the number of miles driven.
Yes. From 1 April 2025, electric, zero and low-emission vehicles became liable for VED. The amount depends on when the vehicle was first registered.
It is an additional annual amount for qualifying cars above the applicable published list-price threshold. It normally applies for five years, starting with the second tax payment. This calculator uses the thresholds in force for 2026–27.
No. The supplement is based on the car’s published list price before first registration and before discounts, not its current value or the amount paid for a used car.
You may still need to tax the vehicle even when there is nothing to pay. Check the vehicle’s official status and complete the required DVLA process.
A Statutory Off Road Notification tells DVLA that a vehicle is kept off public roads. A SORN vehicle does not need VED while the SORN applies, but it must be kept on private land.
No. It is an estimate based on published GOV.UK rate tables. DVLA determines the official amount using the vehicle details held on its records.
