Road Tax Calculator

Calculate your UK road tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) for 2026/27. Covers vehicles registered before and after March 2017, including the expensive car supplement for vehicles over £40,000.

Last updated: April 2026

Your vehicle details
Find on your V5C logbook or manufacturer spec sheet.
Road tax (VED)
Annual road tax
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6-month payment -
Monthly (direct debit) -
Expensive car supplement (yr 2–6) -
5-year total -

UK Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) explained

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), commonly called road tax, is an annual charge on UK vehicles. The rate depends on when the vehicle was first registered, its fuel type, and its CO2 emissions. Since April 2017, the system has three distinct rate structures: a first-year rate based on CO2 (paid when the vehicle is first registered), a standard annual rate, and an expensive car supplement for vehicles with a list price over £40,000.

The £40,000 expensive car supplement

Vehicles with a list price over £40,000 when new pay an additional £620 per year on top of the standard rate, in years 2 to 6 of registration. This was originally designed to target luxury vehicles but now catches a significant number of mainstream electric and hybrid vehicles. From April 2025, electric vehicles also became subject to the standard VED rate (previously exempt), and the expensive car supplement now applies to EVs with a list price over £40,000.

Pre-2001 and 2001–2017 vehicles

Vehicles registered before March 2001 are taxed on engine size: £200 per year for engines up to 1549cc and £330 for larger engines in 2026/27. Vehicles registered between March 2001 and February 2017 are taxed on CO2 bands, with rates ranging from £0 (under 100g/km) to £735 (over 255g/km) per year. Classic vehicles over 40 years old are exempt from VED entirely.

Frequently asked questions

No - paying by monthly direct debit costs more than paying annually. DVLA charges a 5% surcharge on the annual rate when you pay monthly. The 6-month rate is exactly half the annual rate with no surcharge. Paying annually is the cheapest option if you can afford the lump sum.
No. Tax discs were abolished in October 2014. The DVLA maintains a central database and enforcement is done automatically by number plate recognition cameras, which check vehicle records in real time. You can check whether a vehicle is taxed using the free DVLA vehicle enquiry service online.
Vehicles exempt from VED include: vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1984 (rolling 40-year exemption), vehicles used by disabled people (subject to Disabled Tax Class eligibility), agricultural and horticultural vehicles, mobility scooters, mowing machines, and certain historic vehicles. Vehicles with a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) are also exempt while kept off public roads.