Free car tax check
Car tax check: is this car taxed?
Check whether any UK vehicle is taxed, untaxed or SORN, and the date its tax runs out. You'll also see its MOT status, MOT history and mileage in the same free check.
- Tax status and due date
- MOT status
- Live DVLA data
Tax statuses
What each car tax status means
Taxed
The vehicle has valid tax until the date shown. If you've just bought it, the seller's tax doesn't pass to you.
Untaxed
There's no valid tax. It can't be driven or kept on a public road until it's taxed, and the keeper can be fined.
SORN
A Statutory Off Road Notification has been made. It must be kept off public roads and can't be driven, except to a pre-booked MOT.
Car tax rates for 2026/27
How much vehicle tax (VED) a car pays depends on when it was first registered. These are the main rates for a 12-month payment from April 2026:
| Car first registered | How it's taxed |
|---|---|
| On or after 1 April 2017 | First year based on CO2, then a standard rate of £200 a year. Cars with a list price over £40,000 pay an extra £440 a year in years two to six (£50,000 for zero-emission cars from April 2026). |
| 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 | Based on CO2 emissions, in bands from A (lowest) to M (highest). |
| Before 1 March 2001 | Based on engine size: up to 1,549cc, or over 1,549cc. |
Cars built more than 40 years ago can be exempt as historic vehicles, but they still need to be taxed (at a nil rate). See is my car taxed? for the full rules.
Buying a car? Tax it before you drive
Car tax doesn't transfer between keepers. When you buy a car you need the V5C logbook's new keeper slip (or the full logbook reference) to tax it, and you must do it before you drive away. The quickest way is online at GOV.UK.
Selling a car? You'll get a refund
Once you tell DVLA you've sold the car, any full months of tax left are refunded automatically to the keeper on the logbook, and a Direct Debit is cancelled. See our guide to the documents you need to sell a car.
Car tax questions
Does car tax transfer when you buy a car?
No. Tax doesn't pass to a new keeper. The seller gets a refund for any full months left, and you must tax the car before you drive it, even straight home from the sale.
How much is car tax in 2026/27?
For most cars registered on or after 1 April 2017, the standard rate is £200 a year from April 2026. Cars with a list price over £40,000 pay an extra £440 a year in years two to six. Older cars are taxed on CO2 emissions or engine size.
Do electric cars pay car tax?
Yes. Electric cars have paid vehicle tax since 1 April 2025. For zero-emission cars, the expensive car supplement threshold rises to £50,000 for licences taken out on or after 1 April 2026.
What happens if I drive an untaxed car?
You can be fined, and an untaxed vehicle can be clamped or impounded. It's also an offence to keep an untaxed vehicle on a public road even if you're not driving it.
The Car Check app
Never miss an MOT or tax date again.
Everything in the free check, plus reminders, a garage for all your cars and full history reports. Free on iPhone.
- MOT and tax remindersNotifications before your MOT or tax runs out, for every car you add.
- Your garageSave your cars and see their MOT, tax and mileage at a glance.
- Scan a number platePoint your camera at a plate to check a car in a car park or on a forecourt.
- Full history reportsOutstanding finance, stolen and write-off checks powered by Experian.
Scan with your iPhone camera to download
Related guides
All guidesIs My Car Taxed? How to Check Car Tax and What It Costs
Is my car taxed? Check car tax free with just the registration, learn what Taxed, Untaxed and SORN mean, how to tax a car and the 2026/27 car tax rates.
Read guideUsed Car Buying Checklist: What to Check Before You Buy
Our used car buying checklist covers the key checks before, during and after a viewing: MOT history, V5C, bodywork, test drive, safe payment and your rights.
Read guideDocuments Needed to Sell a Car: What Paperwork Do I Need?
The documents needed to sell a car in the UK: a full checklist, how to sell without a V5C, how to tell DVLA you've sold your car and what a receipt needs.
Read guide