By Leanne Winters - Published: 21 November 2022
If you’re considering buying a used car, the amount of car tax you’ll have to pay may be a big consideration in the car you choose.
Here’s how to find your car tax by the reg, as well as other answers to FAQs:
Update 2022: We now recommend using our online Car Tax Check to check the car tax amount in the UK, as it’s quick, easy, and accurate.
Depending on the vehicle’s age and kind, the cost of taxing it is determined accordingly. When a vehicle was first registered, the car tax rates may be determined by the engine size, fuel type, emissions, or other criteria.
There isn’t enough information available for some automobiles to determine the tax rate. To determine how much the tax will cost for your vehicle, you can also consult the vehicle tax rates table.
The size of the engine determines the tax rate for vehicles registered before 1 March 2001. Vehicles having an engine size exceeding or below 1549cc pay a different tax rate.
Vehicles registered between 1 March 2001 and 14 March 2017 are taxed based on the fuel type and CO2 emissions produced.
By glancing at the V5C registration paperwork for the vehicle, you can check CO2 emissions utilizing the free car check program.
By inputting the registration, you may determine a vehicle’s tax price. You can use the tax rates for automobiles registered before the 2001 table on the website to select the tax rate for cars that display ‘Not Available.’
Vehicles registered on or after this date are subject to the first tax payment, dependent on the vehicle’s CO2 emissions. This also holds true for other automobiles, such as some motorhomes.
Additionally, diesel vehicles that don’t adhere to the RDE2 standard have a higher rate.
The initial payment will pay the vehicle tax for a whole year. Depending on the fuel type of the vehicle, there is a varied rate after this point.
The tax rate varies depending on the type of vehicle - gasoline, diesel, electric, or alternative – (hybrid cars, for example).
Additional rates of £335 per year for five years will apply to vehicles having an original list price of over £40,000.
The vehicle’s gross weight and engine size are used to determine the motorhome tax rates.
If they fall under the M1SP category or have CO2 emissions included on the type approval certificate, motorhomes registered after April 2017 are subject to a different rate of tax.
All automobile owners in the United Kingdom must pay car tax, or vehicle excise duty as it is officially known, to park and operate their vehicles on public highways.
UK drivers are required by law to acquire car tax every year. It was created to assist in maintaining road surfaces, and at first, all funds received could only be used for maintaining streets.
However, Winston Churchill changed everything, allowing the VED pot to be used for other purposes. (If you’re wondering why there are still potholes.)
By visiting the DVLA website and entering the vehicle registration number, you may quickly and conveniently check vehicle tax online.
If your untaxed vehicle is discovered on the road, you might face a fine of up to £1,000
Untaxed cars on the road may be impounded or ordered to be clamped by the DVLA in particular circumstances.
The owner of a vehicle that the DVLA clamps will be assessed a £100 release fee. You will be required to pay a surety cost of £160 if you cannot demonstrate that the car has been taxed at the time it is released; however, you are reimbursed for this if you can prove that the vehicle has been taxed within 15 days.
For five years after they are first taxed, new vehicles costing more than £40,000 are liable to an annual £310 extra. And that represents the cost without any discounts.
Regardless of how clean it is, taxes are more expensive on anything costing over £40,000.
Since pre-2017 automobiles are taxed depending on emissions, a gas guzzler will likely be charged the highest tax rate. Keep in mind that you may check the price of road tax on this page.
If you’re paying your taxes online, you’ll need a V11 reminder from the DVLA or a V5C copy of your vehicle’s logbook to input the 11-digit reference number.
If the vehicle is four years or older and you are taxing it at a post office, you must have a current MOT certificate; however, this will be checked when applying online.
Additionally, you’ll need insurance; if you're paying at a post office, you'll need to present a cover note or insurance certificate.
When you acquire a new automobile, the dealer will often take care of registering it and obtaining a reference number that you can use to get your car taxed.
No, as of 2014, these were phased out. As some people are interested in collecting them, you might find an odd win on eBay if you have any old ones.
Yes. You must visit a Post Office and tax your vehicle using a (V62) form if you’ve lost your V5C.
Yes, you still have documentation to complete even if your vehicle has a £0 tax rate (certain pre-2017 models with less than 100g/km CO2 fall in this range, as do some historic automobiles). Thankfully, you don’t necessarily need to finish your MOT before renewing your tax. Fill out the details, expecting the car to pass the MOT.
Re-taxing your car is easy if you declare it SORN (Statutory Off-Road Notification) and are putting it back on the road.
Contacting the DVLA can allow you to do this over the phone or online. Your 11-digit logbook reference number, which you can enter on the DVLA website, is all that’s required. Ensure it is insured and MOT’d because you cannot tax a vehicle until its test has been renewed.
Before you leave, you must tax the vehicle as soon as the auction’s seller notifies the DVLA that it has been sold. This can be done online or on the phone, and the service is offered every day of the week, 24 hours a day.
The DVLA advises that you should insist on receiving the New Keeper Supplement at the point of sale since you need the 12-digit reference number on it to be able to tax the vehicle immediately. Vehicles should never be purchased without seeing the Vehicle Registration Certificate (V5C).
There are times when you might feel a little strapped for cash. A refund will be completed automatically as soon as you notify the DVLA that your vehicle has been sold. Only full calendar months for which the tax has been paid will result in a refund. For instance, if you sell your car on 2 November, only the tax you paid after 1 December will be refunded.
Any name or address changes must be reported to the DVLA, as any refunds will be sent to the information they have on file.
We hope you found our guide on how much is my car tax useful.
If you have any questions, then leave them in the comments, or email us at sales@carregchecks.co.uk
Related guide: How to Check if a Car Has Been in an Accident