Car Tax Calculator UK — Free 2026
Calculate your Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) based on CO2 emissions, fuel type and list price. Updated with April 2026 rates including EV taxation.
How It Works
- Enter CO2 emissions
- Select fuel type and price
- View your car tax
Understanding UK Car Tax (VED) in 2026
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), commonly known as road tax or car tax, is an annual charge for vehicles driven or kept on public roads in the UK. The amount depends on when the car was first registered, its CO2 emissions, fuel type, and list price.
First-Year VED Rates (April 2026)
For cars registered after 1 April 2017, the first-year rate is based on CO2 emissions:
| CO2 (g/km) | Petrol/Hybrid | Diesel (RDE2) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | £0 | N/A |
| 1–50 | £10 | £30 |
| 51–75 | £30 | £130 |
| 76–90 | £130 | £170 |
| 91–100 | £170 | £190 |
| 101–110 | £190 | £210 |
| 111–130 | £210 | £255 |
| 131–150 | £255 | £680 |
| 151–170 | £680 | £1,095 |
| 171–190 | £1,095 | £1,650 |
| 191–225 | £1,650 | £2,340 |
| 226–255 | £2,340 | £2,745 |
| Over 255 | £2,745 | £2,745 |
Standard Rate and EV Changes
From the second year onward, most cars pay the standard flat rate of £200/year (from April 2026). The major change from April 2025 is that electric vehicles now pay VED for the first time — at the standard rate from year 2 onwards, after a £0 first year.
Expensive Car Supplement
Vehicles with a list price over £40,000 when new pay an additional £410/year on top of the standard rate for five years (years 2–6). This now includes electric vehicles. After the five-year period, the supplement drops off and only the standard rate applies. The £40,000 threshold is based on the published list price including VAT and any delivery charges, but excludes the first registration fee. Many popular EVs now exceed this threshold, meaning their five-year VED cost has jumped significantly from the previous £0 regime.
Pre-2017 Cars and Historic Vehicles
Cars registered before 1 April 2017 use a different VED system based entirely on CO2 emission bands, with rates ranging from £0 for the lowest emitters to over £600 for the highest. These older rates are generally higher than the post-2017 standard flat rate for mid-range emission vehicles. Historic vehicles (those built before 1 January 1977) are exempt from VED entirely and can display a free historic vehicle tax disc.
How to Check and Pay Your Car Tax
You can check the VED status of any vehicle using the GOV.UK vehicle enquiry service with just the registration number. Car tax must be paid before driving on public roads and can be paid annually, by six-monthly instalments (at a 10% premium), or by monthly Direct Debit. Since 2014, tax discs are no longer displayed on the windscreen — the DVLA and police check VED status electronically via the registration plate. Use our Energy Bill Calculator to estimate another major running cost alongside car tax.
Frequently Asked Questions
From April 2026, the standard rate of VED is £200/year for most cars registered after April 2017. First-year rates vary from £0 for zero-emission vehicles to £2,745 for the highest CO2 emitters. Cars costing over £40,000 pay an additional £410/year Expensive Car Supplement for 5 years.
Yes. From April 2025, electric vehicles pay VED for the first time. Zero-emission cars pay £0 in the first year, then the standard rate of £200/year from year 2 onwards. EVs costing over £40,000 also pay the Expensive Car Supplement.
Cars with a list price over £40,000 when new pay an additional £410/year on top of the standard rate for 5 years (from the second year of registration). This applies to petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles.
First-year VED is based on the car's CO2 emissions. Zero-emission cars pay £0, cars emitting 1-50 g/km pay £10, and rates increase progressively up to £2,745 for cars emitting over 255 g/km.
Comments