Is this car taxed? When does it expire? How much is it to tax?
Every car driven on UK public roads must be taxed (Vehicle Excise Duty, or VED). Road tax is tied to the vehicle, not the keeper — so when you buy a used car, you must tax it yourself before driving away. SortedCheck shows the current tax status, expiry date, and estimated annual cost for any UK reg plate, pulled directly from DVLA's live data.
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"Car tax" in the UK is officially Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), set by HM Treasury and collected by the DVLA. Whether a car is taxed, how much it costs, and what date it expires all depend on when the vehicle was first registered and what it emits. Free DVLA data tells you the current status and the next due date — the rules below explain what you are actually being charged for.
Cars first registered before 1 April 2017 sit in CO2-banded annual rates for the life of the vehicle. The dirtier the car, the higher the band.
Cars first registered on or after 1 April 2017 pay a CO2-banded amount in the first year — which can be very high for high-emission vehicles — then a flat standard rate from year two onwards, regardless of emissions. There is also a £40,000+ list-price supplement: cars with a published list price above £40,000 pay an additional yearly amount for years two through six from first registration. Current standard and supplement rates are published on gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables.
Until 31 March 2025 fully electric cars were exempt from VED. From 1 April 2025 EVs are taxed under the same regime as petrol and diesel cars: a £10 first-year rate, the standard rate from year two, and the £40,000+ list-price supplement where it applies. Plug-in hybrids and alternative-fuel vehicles also pay the standard rate, with a small annual discount.
Since October 2014, road tax is not transferred between owners. When you buy a used car the seller's remaining tax is automatically refunded by DVLA, and you must tax the car in your own name before driving it. Doing this online needs the V5C/2 (the green "new keeper" slip) or the new V5C registration certificate. Driving away from the seller without taxing first is an offence even if the previous keeper had paid until December.
If a vehicle is being kept off the road — in a garage, on a driveway, or on private land — the keeper can declare a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). A SORN'd car owes no VED but cannot be driven on a public road. SORN remains in place until the vehicle is taxed, sold, scrapped, or permanently exported.
Driving a vehicle on a public road without current VED is an offence. DVLA's automatic number-plate recognition checks every car against the live tax database. Penalties include a fine of up to £1,000, a clamp release fee, and impound charges if the vehicle is removed. Insurance can also be invalidated.
Cars built more than 40 years ago qualify for the historic vehicle tax class on a rolling basis — applied for via DVLA. They still need a valid V5C and (where required) an MOT, but no VED is payable.
Enter the registration number above, or check directly on gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax. Both pull live data from DVLA's tax register and show the current status (Taxed, Untaxed, or SORN) plus the next due date.
No. Since October 2014 tax is non-transferable. The seller is automatically refunded for any complete months remaining and you must tax the car in your name before driving away. Use the V5C/2 reference number on the green slip the seller gives you.
For cars registered on or after 1 April 2017 the first-year VED is calculated from the car's official CO2 emissions and is intended to discourage high-emission purchases. From the second year onwards, almost all cars move to a flat standard rate — and only the £40,000+ list-price supplement makes the rate higher for the next five years.
No, but you must declare it off road by submitting a SORN to DVLA. While the SORN is in force the vehicle cannot be parked or driven on a public road, including for an MOT — it must be transported.
Enter your reg above — we'll show you the current tax status (Taxed, SORN, or Untaxed) and the expiry date straight from DVLA.
Annual VED depends on CO2 emissions and first-registration date. We show the approximate annual band — confirm the exact amount on gov.uk/vehicle-tax when you renew.
Vehicle Excise Duty — the formal name for UK road tax. Charged annually (or by direct debit, monthly or 6-monthly) and required for any vehicle used or kept on public roads.
No. Driving an untaxed car is an offence with a £100 fixed penalty, a fine of up to £1,000 if prosecuted, and DVLA can clamp or impound the vehicle. SORN'd cars must stay off public roads.
You need the V5C logbook (or the green slip V5C/2 the seller gave you) plus a valid MOT. Tax it instantly at gov.uk/vehicle-tax — the previous keeper's tax doesn't transfer with the sale.