This is the complete reference to UK car tax rates for the 2026/27 tax year, running from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. Whether you're checking what you'll pay at your next renewal, buying a new car, or shopping for a used vehicle, all the rates are here.
You can check any vehicle's current tax status by entering its registration number in our free tax check tool.
How car tax works — the basics
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) — commonly called road tax or car tax — is calculated differently depending on when your car was first registered. There are two systems:
- Post-April 2017: A first-year rate based on CO2 emissions, then a flat standard rate from year two
- Pre-April 2017: A band system (A to M) based on CO2 emissions, paying the same rate every year
There's also the expensive car supplement — an additional charge on vehicles that cost over a certain amount when new.
Post-2017 cars: first-year rates (2026/27)
This one-off charge is paid when a new vehicle is first registered. It only applies once.
| CO2 emissions (g/km) | Petrol / hybrid | Non-RDE2 diesel* |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | £10 | — |
| 1–50 | £115 | £135 |
| 51–75 | £135 | £280 |
| 76–90 | £280 | £365 |
| 91–100 | £365 | £405 |
| 101–110 | £405 | £455 |
| 111–130 | £455 | £560 |
| 131–150 | £560 | £1,410 |
| 151–170 | £1,410 | £2,270 |
| 171–190 | £2,270 | £3,420 |
| 191–225 | £3,420 | £4,850 |
| 226–255 | £4,850 | £5,690 |
| Over 255 | £5,690 | £5,690 |
*Non-RDE2 diesel vehicles pay at one band higher. Most diesels sold since 2018 are RDE2-compliant and pay the standard petrol rate.
Post-2017 cars: standard annual rate (year 2 onwards)
From the second year of registration, all post-2017 vehicles pay the same flat rate regardless of their emissions:
| 2025/26 | 2026/27 | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard rate | £195 | £200 |
This applies to petrol, diesel, hybrid, alternative fuel, and electric vehicles equally.
The expensive car supplement
Vehicles with a list price exceeding the threshold when new pay an additional annual supplement for five years (years 2 through 6 of registration):
| ICE / hybrid | Electric (zero-emission) | |
|---|---|---|
| Threshold | £40,000 | £50,000 (from April 2026) |
| Annual supplement | ~£440 | ~£440 |
| Duration | 5 years | 5 years |
| Total extra cost | ~£2,200 | ~£2,200 |
The threshold is based on the published list price of the vehicle when new — not the transaction price or the amount you paid second-hand. If a car listed at £42,000 new is now worth £18,000 on the used market, the supplement still applies until year 6.
New for April 2026: The EV threshold increases from £40,000 to £50,000, backdated to vehicles registered from April 2025. This means EVs priced between £40,001 and £50,000 no longer pay the supplement. See our guide to electric car road tax in 2026 for the full breakdown of what EV owners pay.
Pre-2017 cars: band rates (2026/27)
Cars registered before 1 April 2017 use the older system with 13 bands based on CO2 emissions. The rate is the same every year — there's no separate first-year charge.
| Band | CO2 (g/km) | 12 months | 6 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 0–100 | £20 | — |
| B | 101–110 | £20 | — |
| C | 111–120 | £35 | — |
| D | 121–130 | £170 | £93.50 |
| E | 131–140 | £200 | £110 |
| F | 141–150 | £225 | £123.75 |
| G | 151–165 | £275 | £151.25 |
| H | 166–175 | £325 | £178.75 |
| I | 176–185 | £360 | £198 |
| J | 186–200 | £410 | £225.50 |
| K | 201–225 | £445 | £244.75 |
| L | 226–255 | £760 | £418 |
| M | Over 255 | £790 | £434.50 |
Bands A, B, and C are too low to qualify for six-monthly payment — you pay the full annual amount.
Pre-2001 cars: engine size rates
Vehicles registered before 1 March 2001 use an even older system based on engine capacity:
| Engine size | 12 months | 6 months |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,549cc | £200 | £110 |
| Over 1,549cc | £325 | £178.75 |
Historic vehicles
Cars manufactured before 1 January 1977 are exempt from VED entirely. They still need to be taxed (applying for free tax), but there is no charge. For more on how to find the cheapest cars to tax across all categories, see our dedicated guide.
Payment options
The DVLA offers three ways to pay:
| Method | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual | Face value | Cheapest option overall |
| Six-monthly | ~10% more than annual | Two payments per year |
| Monthly direct debit | ~5% more than annual | 12 payments, auto-renews |
Monthly direct debit is the most convenient — your tax renews automatically and you'll never accidentally let it lapse. But you pay a small premium for the convenience.
How to check your car's tax rate
The VED rate depends on three things: when the car was registered, its CO2 emissions (or engine size for pre-2001 cars), and its original list price (for the supplement). Our free car check shows all of these details — enter the registration number and you'll see:
- Registration date and age
- Fuel type
- CO2 emissions
- Current tax status and expiry date
- MOT status and history
- Mileage records
From there, match the CO2 figure and registration date to the tables above to find the exact rate.
Key changes for April 2026 — summary
| What's changing | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard rate (year 2+) | £195 | £200 |
| First-year rates | See table | ~3–4% increase |
| Expensive car supplement | ~£425 | ~£440 |
| EV supplement threshold | £40,000 | £50,000 |
| Pre-2017 bands (D–M) | See table | £5–£30 increases |
The bottom line
Car tax in 2026/27 follows the same structure as previous years — a first-year rate based on emissions for new cars, a flat standard rate from year two, and a supplement for expensive vehicles. The changes are incremental: a £5 standard rate increase, modest inflation-linked rises across the bands, and the notable EV supplement threshold increase to £50,000. For a summary of all the car tax changes coming in April 2026, see our overview.
The quickest way to know what you'll pay is to check your vehicle's details — it takes a few seconds and shows your exact tax status and renewal date.