UK Car Tax Rates by CO2 Emissions
2026/27 VED Bands
Complete first year VED rates for all 13 CO2 bands (A to M). These rates apply to cars first registered on or after 1 April 2017. From year 2, all vehicles pay the flat £200 standard rate.
| Band | CO2 Emissions | Petrol / Hybrid / RDE2 diesel | Diesel (non-RDE2) | Typical Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band A | 0 g/km | £10 | £10 | Pure electric, hydrogen fuel cell |
| Band B | 1-50 g/km | £115 | £135 | Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) |
| Band C | 51-75 g/km | £135 | £280 | Efficient PHEVs, Toyota Prius |
| Band D | 76-90 g/km | £280 | £365 | Small economical cars |
| Band E | 91-100 g/km | £365 | £405 | Superminis, Ford Fiesta hybrid |
| Band F | 101-110 g/km | £405 | £455 | Family hatchbacks, VW Golf |
| Band G | 111-130 g/km | £455 | £560 | Most family cars, Ford Focus |
| Band H | 131-150 g/km | £560 | £1,410 | Larger cars, small SUVs |
| Band I | 151-170 g/km | £1,410 | £2,270 | SUVs, BMW 5 Series |
| Band J | 171-190 g/km | £2,270 | £3,420 | Large SUVs, Land Rover Discovery |
| Band K | 191-225 g/km | £3,420 | £4,850 | Sports cars, Porsche 911 |
| Band L | 226-255 g/km | £4,850 | £5,690 | High performance vehicles |
| Band M | Over 255 g/km | £5,690 | £5,690 | Supercars, V8 and V12 engines |
Rates for vehicles first registered from 1 April 2017. From year 2 onwards, all vehicles pay the standard £200/year flat rate regardless of CO2 band.
Diesel First Year Rates
A diesel that does not meet the RDE2 (Real Driving Emissions 2) standard is taxed one CO2 band higher than the petrol equivalent for its first-year rate. This is the right-hand column above. The difference reflects higher NOx and particulate emissions from older diesel engines.
A diesel that meets the RDE2 standard is treated the same as a petrol vehicle and pays the left-hand rate. Most diesel cars sold from 2020 onwards meet this standard. Check your V5C or the manufacturer to confirm.
From year 2 onwards, diesel and petrol vehicles pay the same flat £200 standard rate. The diesel premium only applies in year 1.
From Year 2: Everyone Pays £200
One of the defining features of the post-April 2017 VED system is the flat standard rate. From the second year of registration, all petrol, diesel, and hybrid vehicles pay exactly £200 per year, regardless of CO2 emissions.
This means CO2 emissions only affect your VED in year 1. A high-emission car pays more in year 1 but exactly the same as a low-emission car from year 2 onwards. The first year rate is effectively a one-off CO2 levy collected at point of first registration.
Electric vehicles pay £10 in year 1, then £200/year from year 2 - the same standard rate as all other vehicles from April 2026.
Expensive Car Supplement (£40k+ threshold)
Cars with an original list price above £40,000 (including factory options) pay an additional £440 per year on top of the standard £200 rate. This supplement applies for years 2 through 6 (five years total). From year 7, only the standard £200 applies.
For zero-emission vehicles (electric cars), the threshold is raised to £50,000. An EV costing more than £50,000 new pays £200 + £440 = £640 per year for years 2 through 6.
5-Year Total VED Cost Comparison
| Vehicle Type | Year 1 | Year 2+ (annual) | 5-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low emission petrol (Band B, 30 g/km) | £115 | £200 | £915 |
| Average family car petrol (Band G, 120 g/km) | £455 | £200 | £1,255 |
| Large SUV, RDE2 diesel (Band I, 160 g/km) | £1,410 | £200 | £2,210 |
| Premium petrol over £40k (Band G, 120 g/km) | £455 | £640 | £3,015 |
| High-emission non-RDE2 diesel (Band K, 200 g/km) | £4,850 | £200 | £5,650 |
5-year total = year 1 first year rate + (year 2-5 annual rate x 4).