UK Road Tax (VED) Calculator
Most UK cars need Vehicle Excise Duty; exemptions and special vehicle classes can have different rules. The amount depends on CO2 emissions, fuel type, and registration date. First-year rates for new 2026/27 cars range from £10 to £5,690.
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Many car buyers focus only on first-year road tax and forget ongoing costs. Qualifying post-2017 cars with an original list price over £40,000 (zero-emission registrations from April 2025: over £50,000) pay an additional £440 per year for five years – the expensive car supplement. Electric vehicles now pay VED, with a £10 first-year rate and the £200 standard rate from year two onwards.
Calculating your road tax liability before purchasing helps you budget accurately. Enter your vehicle details below to see both first-year and ongoing annual VED amounts.
Based on 2026/27 VED rates, including supported older CO₂ bands from March 2001. Rates and registration rules checked 4 October 2026.
Vehicle Details
Use the date on the V5C. Covers cars first registered from 1 March 2001; check DVLA for older cars, exemptions and unusual vehicle classes.
Count from the first vehicle-tax licence, not your purchase date. The supplement runs for five years from the second licence.
Include factory options; use the published original price before discounts, rather than the used-car purchase price.
Your Vehicle Excise Duty
2026/27 annual payment — selected licence year
£455
Annual renewal rate: £200. No supplement is payable in the selected licence year.
First licence: £455. Renewals in years 2–6: £200 a year. Year 7 onwards: £200.
Illustrative first five years: £1,255; first six years: £1,455. These totals hold 2026/27 rates constant; future rates may change.
For 2026/27, qualifying zero-emission cars first registered from 1 April 2025 have a threshold of more than £50,000. Other post-April-2017 cars use more than £40,000. Earlier EVs do not acquire the supplement retrospectively.
Check your actual licence start and supplement end date with DVLA. Exemptions, imports and re-registrations can need a separate check.
DVLA vehicle tax rates →What this VED bill really means
Your road tax figure is split into two stages: a first-year (showroom) rate based on CO₂ emissions, then a flat standard rate from year two for post-April-2017 cars. Registrations from March 2001 to March 2017 use older annual CO₂ bands. Qualifying cars above their original list-price threshold (£40,000; qualifying zero-emission cars from April 2025: £50,000) also pay the £440 expensive car supplement on top of the standard rate for five years — that alone can add £2,200 over the period.
Pure electrics are no longer exempt: in 2026/27 new EVs pay £10 in year one and £200 on renewal, plus £440 in licence years 2–6 only if first registered from April 2025 with an original list price above £50,000. If your annual VED looks high, switching to a lower-emission or smaller car at your next change can save £400–£600 per year.
Understanding Post-2017 VED Rules
Vehicle Excise Duty (commonly called road tax) changed significantly for vehicles first registered on or after 1 April 2017. The new system has two key components:
First Year Rate
Based on your vehicle's CO₂ emissions. This can range from £10 for zero-emission vehicles up to £5,690 for the most polluting cars (over 255 g/km). This is typically included in the on-the-road price when you buy a new car.
Standard Rate (Year 2+)
From the second year onwards, most cars pay a flat rate regardless of emissions. For 2026/27, this is £200 for all vehicles including petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric.
The "Expensive Car" Supplement
If your vehicle had a list price of more than £40,000 (or £50,000 for qualifying zero-emission cars) when new, you pay an additional supplement of £440 per year for the first 5 years of paying the standard rate (vehicle-tax licence years 2–6, counted from first registration).
What counts as "list price"?
- The published price before any discounts
- Includes VAT and any factory-fitted options
- Includes delivery charges
- Does not include the first registration fee
- For used cars, it's the original list price when the car was new
Example: A post-2017 petrol car with a list price of £45,000 would pay: First year rate + (£200 standard + £440 supplement) × 5 years. After year 6, you'd pay just the standard £200 rate.
Electric Vehicle VED Rules
Electric vehicles are now fully within the VED system. EVs registered between April 2017 and March 2025 pay the £200 standard annual rate. New EVs registered from April 2025 pay £10 in year one, then £200 from year two. EVs first registered from 1 April 2025 with an original list price over £50,000 when new also pay the £440 expensive car supplement for years 2–6.
EV VED Summary (2026/27)
- EVs registered April 2017 – March 2025: £200/year standard rate
- New EVs registered from April 2025: £10 first-year rate, then £200/year
- EVs registered 1 March 2001–31 March 2017 with zero CO₂: £20/year
- EVs first registered from 1 April 2025 with an original list price over £50,000 when new: additional £440/year supplement for years 2–6
This change ensures all road users contribute to road maintenance as the transition to electric vehicles continues. EVs still benefit from the lowest first-year rate and exemption from fuel duty.
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