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HowMuchIsCarTax.com

Verified May 2026 - 2026/27 rates

How Much Is Car Tax
in the UK?

UK Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rates for 2026/27. The standard rate is £200 per year. First year rates vary by CO2 from £10 to £5,690. Use the quick calculator below to find your rate.

£200

Standard rate

Most cars (year 2+)

£10

EV first year

Then £200/year

£640

Premium cars

£40k+ list price, yrs 2-6

Quick Answer

Most cars pay the standard rate of £200 per year from the second year of registration. The first year rate depends on CO2 emissions and ranges from £10 (zero-emission vehicles) to £5,690 (highest emitters, over 255 g/km diesel). Cars with a list price over £40,000 pay an extra £440 per year for five years (years 2-6), bringing the total to £640 per year. Electric vehicles above £50,000 list price also face the supplement.

Quick Rate Lookup

First Year Rate

£270

One-off at registration

Annual Rate (year 2+)

£200

Standard flat rate

Band G (111-130 g/km). For vehicles registered from 1 April 2017. See full calculator for all scenarios.

Need a full breakdown? Use the full calculator

First Year VED Rates by CO2 Band (2026/27)

Applies to cars registered on or after 1 April 2017. From year 2, all pay the £200 flat rate.

BandCO2 (g/km)Petrol / HybridDieselTypical vehicles
Band A0 g/km£10£10Pure electric, hydrogen
Band B1-50 g/km£30£30Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs)
Band C51-75 g/km£135£135Efficient PHEVs
Band D76-90 g/km£175£175Small economical cars
Band E91-100 g/km£195£215Superminis
Band F101-110 g/km£220£245Family hatchbacks
Band G111-130 g/km£270£300Most family cars
Band H131-150 g/km£680£745Larger family cars, small SUVs
Band I151-170 g/km£1,095£1,200SUVs, performance cars
Band J171-190 g/km£1,630£1,790Large SUVs
Band K191-225 g/km£2,340£2,575Sports cars, large SUVs
Band L226-255 g/km£3,300£3,630High-performance vehicles
Band MOver 255 g/km£5,490£5,690Supercars, large V8s

Diesel rates are the same as petrol from April 2026 (diesel supplement removed for first year rates). Rates for vehicles registered from 1 April 2017 only.

Payment Options

Three ways to pay your VED. Annual is cheapest - monthly payments carry a 5% surcharge.

Annual

£200

one payment

No surcharge

Most cost-effective option

6-Monthly

£110

per payment

10% surcharge (£220/yr)

Two payments per year

Monthly DD

£17.50

per month

5% surcharge (£210/yr)

Direct Debit only

Two Different VED Systems

Which system applies to you depends on when your car was first registered.

Post-April 2017 System

If your car was first registered on or after 1 April 2017, you use the current system.

  • First year rate depends on CO2 (13 bands, £10 to £5,690)
  • From year 2 onwards: flat £200 standard rate for all
  • Electric vehicles: £10 first year, then £200/year
  • Cars over £40,000 list price: pay extra £440 for 5 years
  • Can pay annually, 6-monthly, or monthly by Direct Debit

Pre-April 2017 System

Cars first registered before 1 April 2017 use the older system with CO2-based annual rates.

  • Annual rate based on CO2 band (not a flat rate)
  • Rates range from £0 (Band A) to £790 (Band M)
  • No expensive car supplement applies
  • Pre-2001 cars: taxed on engine size (not CO2)
  • Check your V5C logbook for registration date
See pre-2017 rates table

What Changed on 1 April 2026

  • Standard rate rose from £195 to £200 per year (up £5)
  • First year CO2-band rates increased across all 13 bands
  • Expensive car supplement rose from £425 to £440
  • EV supplement threshold raised from £40,000 to £50,000
  • Historic vehicle exemption now applies to pre-1 January 1986 vehicles
  • Company car BIK rate for EVs rose from 3% to 4%
Full breakdown of April 2026 changes

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is car tax in the UK in 2026?
From 1 April 2026, the standard rate of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for most cars registered from April 2017 onwards is £200 per year. This flat rate applies from the second year of registration onwards. First year rates vary by CO2 emissions, ranging from £10 for zero-emission vehicles to £5,690 for the highest polluters.
How much is car tax for electric vehicles in 2026?
From 1 April 2026, electric vehicles pay £10 in the first year and £200 per year from the second year onwards. This is a change from the 2025/26 rate of £195. New electric cars with a list price above £50,000 also pay the expensive car supplement of £440 per year for years 2 to 6, bringing the total to £640 per year.
What is the expensive car supplement?
If your car had a list price (including options) of over £40,000 when new (or over £50,000 for zero-emission vehicles), you pay an additional £440 per year on top of the standard rate for years 2 through 6 (five years total). This means you pay £200 + £440 = £640 per year. From year 7 onwards, you only pay the standard £200 rate.
Can I pay car tax monthly?
Yes. You can pay VED annually (full amount), every 6 months, or monthly by Direct Debit. For the standard £200 rate: annual payment is £200, six-monthly is £110 per payment (£220 total, a 10% surcharge), and monthly is £17.50 per month (£210 total, a 5% surcharge).
What happens if I do not pay car tax?
Driving without valid VED is a criminal offence. You receive an £80 late licensing penalty, rising to £160 if not paid within 28 days. DVLA uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to detect untaxed vehicles. Your car can be clamped, impounded, and eventually crushed. You may also face a court fine of up to £1,000.
How do I check if my car is taxed?
You can check for free on the GOV.UK vehicle enquiry service at gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax. Enter your registration number to see the tax status, MOT status, and CO2 emissions.
Do I get a refund if I sell my car?
Yes. When you notify DVLA that you have sold your car (using the V5C logbook), any remaining full months of VED are automatically refunded. The refund is sent by cheque to the address on your V5C. The new owner must tax the vehicle separately before driving it.
Are hybrid cars cheaper to tax?
Conventional (non plug-in) hybrids are taxed based on CO2 emissions, the same as petrol cars. Their lower CO2 output means lower first year rates. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have very low official CO2 figures (often 20-50 g/km) giving low first year rates. All hybrids pay the standard £200 flat rate from year 2.
My car was registered before April 2017. How much is my car tax?
Cars registered before 1 April 2017 use an older CO2-based annual rate system. Rates for 2026/27 range from £0 (Band A, 0 g/km) to £790 (Band M, over 226 g/km). Cars registered before 2001 are taxed on engine size: £210 for engines up to 1549cc, or £345 for engines over 1549cc.
What changed in April 2026?
From 1 April 2026, the standard rate rose from £195 to £200 per year. First year CO2-band rates increased across all categories. The expensive car supplement rose from £425 to £440. The supplement threshold for zero-emission vehicles rose from £40,000 to £50,000. Company car BIK for EVs rose from 3% to 4%.

Car Tax by Make and Model

Per-vehicle VED breakdowns calculated from manufacturer CO2 figures and UK list prices. All rates traced to gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables (2026/27 schedule).

Tesla Model YRWD pays £200/yr; Long Range AWD £640/yr (over £50k).Tesla Model 3£10 first year; £200/yr from year 2 (most variants under £50k).BMW 3 Series£30 (330e PHEV) to £3,300 (M3) first year. Supplement on most trims.Ford Focus£220 (1.0 EcoBoost) to £1,630 (ST) first year. Most under £40k.Range Rover EvoqueEvery variant crosses £40k. £640/yr years 2-6.Nissan Qashqai£270-£680 first year. Most trims stay under £40k - £200 standard.

More Guides

Full VED CalculatorCalculate your exact first year and annual rate by registration date, fuel type, and CO2 band.Electric Car Tax GuideWhat EVs pay in 2026/27, the expensive car supplement, and a comparison with petrol costs.Rates by CO2 BandComplete table of all 13 CO2 bands with petrol and diesel first year rates for 2026/27.Pre-2017 VED RatesAnnual rates for cars registered before April 2017 and pre-2001 engine size bands.SORN GuideHow to declare your car off the road, penalties for untaxed vehicles, and DVLA enforcement.April 2026 ChangesEvery rate that changed on 1 April 2026 and what it means for your annual bill.Expensive Car Supplement£440/year for 5 years on cars over £40,000 ICE or £50,000 EV. Trigger logic + worked examples.Petrol Car TaxPetrol-specific VED for 2026/27. mHEV, HEV, and PHEV classification explained.Diesel Car TaxDiesel VED in 2026/27. RDE2 vs non-RDE2 first-year rate distinction.Check Car Tax by RegHow to use the free DVLA gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax tool. No paid wrapper needed.About + MethodologyEditorial framework, sources, and how we keep every rate gov.uk-anchored.Cars in Band HReverse-lookup: which popular UK cars sit in the 131-150 g/km band.

Updated 2026-05-11