Car Tax Calculator UK 2026/27
Find your Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) instantly — first year rate and ongoing annual cost, based on official gov.uk rates
For cars first registered on or after 1 April 2017. Older cars use a different band system — see gov.uk vehicle tax rates.
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Get Full Vehicle ReportHow UK car tax (VED) works in 2026/27
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) — commonly called car tax or road tax — is paid in two stages for cars first registered on or after 1 April 2017. The first year rate is based entirely on the car's CO2 emissions, ranging from £10 for zero-emission cars up to £5,690 for the highest-emitting petrol and diesel cars. Diesel cars that do not meet the RDE2 (Real Driving Emissions 2) standard for nitrogen oxide emissions pay a higher first-year rate than petrol, RDE2-compliant diesel, or alternative fuel cars in the same CO2 band. From the second year onwards, almost all cars pay a flat standard rate of £200 a year, regardless of fuel type or emissions.
The expensive car supplement
If a car's list price (the published price before any discounts, as first registered) was more than £40,000 — or more than £50,000 for an electric car — an extra £440 a year applies on top of the standard rate, for 5 years starting from the second time the vehicle is taxed. Zero-emission vehicles registered before 1 April 2025 are exempt from this supplement.
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Frequently asked questions
For cars first registered on or after 1 April 2017, the first year of VED is based on the car's CO2 emissions — ranging from £10 for zero-emission cars to £5,690 for the highest-emitting cars. From the second year onwards, most cars pay a flat standard rate of £200 a year. Cars with a list price over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric) pay an extra £440 a year for 5 years.
Electric cars pay £10 in the first year, then the standard £200 annual rate from year two. If the electric car's list price is over £50,000, an extra £440 a year applies for 5 years from the second year of registration — unless it was a zero-emission vehicle registered before 1 April 2025, which is exempt from this supplement.
Cars with a list price (before discounts) of more than £40,000 — or £50,000 for electric cars — pay an extra £440 a year on top of the standard rate, for 5 years starting from the second time the vehicle is taxed.
It depends on your car's CO2 emissions and registration date. For cars registered on or after 1 April 2017, the first year rate ranges from £10 (zero-emission) to £5,690 (highest emitters), then a flat £200 a year from year two — plus £440 a year extra for 5 years if the list price was over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric). Use the calculator above with your CO2 figure, fuel type and list price for an exact figure.
The official way is to use the DVLA's free "Check the tax and MOT status of a vehicle" tool on GOV.UK, which shows the current VED rate for that specific registration. This calculator gives you the same result upfront using your car's CO2 emissions, fuel type and list price, without needing to enter a registration plate.
"Road tax" is the common name for Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). Most cars pay a flat standard rate of £200 a year from their second year of registration. The first-year rate is based on CO2 emissions and ranges from £10 to £5,690, and cars with a list price over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric) pay an extra £440 a year for 5 years.
Worked example
A new petrol car with CO2 emissions of 120g/km and a list price of £25,000 (below the £40,000 threshold):
| CO2 emissions | 120g/km |
| First year rate (111–130g/km band) | £455 |
| List price | £25,000 (below £40,000 threshold) |
| Expensive car supplement | £0 — not applicable |
| Standard rate (year 2 onwards) | £200/yr |
| 5-year total (years 2–6) | £1,000 |
All calculations run entirely in your browser. No data is sent to our servers, stored, or shared with any third party.
Results are estimates based on official 2026/27 gov.uk VED rates for cars registered on or after 1 April 2017, and are intended as a guide only. Always confirm your exact tax band and price via gov.uk or your dealer.