Find out exactly how much car tax you'll pay in 2026. Use our free tool to check your vehicle's tax band, annual cost, and payment options.
Car tax — officially called Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) — varies depending on when your car was first registered and its CO2 emissions. In 2026, costs range from £0 for zero-emission vehicles to over £600/year for high-emission cars.
Cars registered after 1 April 2017 pay a first-year rate based on CO2 emissions, then a flat standard rate of £190/year. However, cars with a list price over £40,000 pay an additional £410/year for the first 5 years — bringing the total to £600/year.
Cars registered between 2001–2017 are taxed on emissions bands (A–M). Band A (up to 100g/km) is free; Band M (over 255g/km) costs £735/year.
Cars registered before 2001 are taxed by engine size: up to 1549cc pays £200/year, above 1549cc pays £325/year.
Instead of guessing which band your car falls into, you can check instantly. Enter your registration below — our free tool pulls live DVLA data and tells you exactly what you'll pay.
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You can pay annually, every 6 months (+5% surcharge), or monthly by direct debit (+5% surcharge). Paying annually saves around £10–30 depending on your band.
Driving without valid tax can result in a £1,000 fine, your car being clamped, or even crushed. Use our free tool to check your status before it catches you out.
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