How much is car tax, and why does the figure on your reminder letter look different from your neighbour’s? The short answer is that it depends on when your car was registered. In this guide we cover cars registered on or after 1 April 2017, which is most cars on the road from the last few years. Every figure comes from the official GOV.UK vehicle tax rate tables page, and we checked it on 22 October 2026. So, let’s start.
What is car tax (VED)?
Car tax is officially called Vehicle Excise Duty, or VED. You pay it for every car you keep on a public road in the UK. For cars registered from April 2017, you pay a different amount the first time the car is taxed than you do from the second payment onwards.
How much is car tax from the second payment onwards?
From the second tax payment, most petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric cars pay the same standard rate. These are the figures GOV.UK lists:
| How you pay | Cost |
|---|---|
| Single 12-month payment | £200 |
| Single 12-month payment by Direct Debit | £200 |
| 12 monthly Direct Debit payments (total) | £210 |
| Single 6-month payment | £110 |
| Single 6-month payment by Direct Debit | £105 |
A quick bit of arithmetic shows why the payment method matters. Paying monthly by Direct Debit adds up to £210 over a year, which is £10 more than paying £200 once. Paying twice a year costs £220 (two payments of £110) or £210 (two Direct Debit payments of £105). Paying once for the full 12 months is the cheapest way.
How much is car tax the first time a car is taxed?
The first payment depends on the car’s CO₂ emissions. Diesel cars that do not meet the Real Driving Emissions 2 (RDE2) standard for nitrogen oxide pay a higher rate. You can ask the manufacturer if your car meets RDE2. This payment covers the car for 12 months.
| CO₂ emissions | Petrol, RDE2 diesel, hybrid and electric | All other diesel |
|---|---|---|
| 0 g/km | £10 | £10 |
| 1 to 50 g/km | £115 | £135 |
| 51 to 75 g/km | £135 | £280 |
| 76 to 90 g/km | £280 | £365 |
| 91 to 100 g/km | £365 | £405 |
| 101 to 110 g/km | £405 | £455 |
| 111 to 130 g/km | £455 | £560 |
| 131 to 150 g/km | £560 | £1,410 |
| 151 to 170 g/km | £1,410 | £2,270 |
| 171 to 190 g/km | £2,270 | £3,420 |
| 191 to 225 g/km | £3,420 | £4,850 |
| 226 to 255 g/km | £4,850 | £5,690 |
| Over 255 g/km | £5,690 | £5,690 |
If you buy from a dealer, ask whether the first payment is already included in the on-the-road price. It matters most when you are comparing two cars with very different emissions.
What is the expensive car supplement?
Some cars pay an extra £440 a year on top of the standard rate. GOV.UK says it applies to:
- a car or motorhome with a list price of more than £40,000
- an electric car or motorhome with a list price of more than £50,000
- electric vehicles registered between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 are also covered
You do not pay it if you have a zero-emission vehicle that was registered before 1 April 2025. The list price is the published price before the car is first registered and before any discounts. You only pay the supplement for 5 years, starting from the second time the car is taxed, and GOV.UK suggests checking the list price with your dealer.
With the supplement, the rates become £640 for a single 12-month payment, £672 for 12 monthly Direct Debit payments in total, £352 for a single 6-month payment and £336 for a 6-month Direct Debit payment.
Is an electric car free to tax?
Not any more. A zero-emission car pays just £10 in the first year, but from the second payment it pays the same standard rate as a petrol or diesel car. Whether it also pays the supplement depends on its list price and registration date, as explained above.
What this guide does not cover
- Cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017, and cars before March 2001, use different rates. GOV.UK has a separate table for each on the same page.
- Exemptions, such as some disabled-driver and historic-vehicle cases, are listed on GOV.UK under “Vehicles exempt from vehicle tax”.
- Rates can change in the Budget or at the start of a tax year, so check the official page before you pay.
How does car tax fit into your running costs?
For a typical newer petrol car on the standard rate, car tax is a modest part of the yearly bill. Fuel, insurance and servicing are usually bigger. You can see how road tax compares with everything else in our free car running cost calculator, which uses the £200 standard rate by default.
Quick checklist
- Find your car’s registration date: on or after 1 April 2017 means the rates above apply.
- Check the car’s CO₂ figure and fuel type for the first payment.
- Check the list price: over £40,000 (or £50,000 for electric) can mean the £440 supplement for 5 years.
- Pay once for 12 months if you can, as Direct Debit instalments cost more.
- Confirm the rates on GOV.UK before you pay.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Vehicle tax rates, checked on 22 October 2026