Car Tax Calculator UK 2026-27
What the DVLA will actually charge — first year, every year, and the £40k trap.
Work out your Vehicle Excise Duty for 2026-27: the £200 standard rate, first-year rates from £10 to £5,690 by CO2 band, and the £440 expensive-car supplement — including April 2026's new £50,000 threshold for electric cars.
April 2026 rates from GOV.UK's V149 schedule. Pre-2017 cars use the older band system.
Three numbers decide your VED
First year: CO2
A new car's first-year rate follows its CO2 figure — £10 for zero-emission up to £5,690 at 255+ g/km, usually rolled invisibly into the on-the-road price.
Every year after: £200 flat
From year two, every car pays the same £200 standard rate regardless of fuel — EVs included since April 2025.
The list-price test
Cars listed over £40,000 new (£50,000 for EVs from April 2026) add the £440 supplement in years 2–6. It's the manufacturer's list price including options — not what you paid.
The full CO2 band table
| CO2 (g/km) | First-year VED |
|---|---|
| 0 (electric) | £10 |
| 1–50 | £115 |
| 51–75 | £135 |
| 76–90 | £280 |
| 91–100 | £365 |
| 101–110 | £405 |
| 111–130 | £455 |
| 131–150 | £560 |
| 151–170 | £1,410 |
| 171–190 | £2,270 |
| 191–225 | £3,420 |
| 226–255 | £4,850 |
| Over 255 | £5,690 |
Diesels not meeting the RDE2 standard pay one band higher. Note the cliff between 150 and 151 g/km — £560 becomes £1,410 for one gram.
£440 a year for five years — and the new EV break
List price over the threshold when new means £440 on top of the £200 standard rate for years 2–6 — £640 a year, £2,200 of supplement in total. The test uses the manufacturer's list price including factory options on the day before registration; a discount to £39,000 doesn't help if the list said £41,000.
April 2026's change: the threshold for zero-emission cars rose from £40,000 to £50,000 — an EV listed at £45,000 now pays just £200 a year, saving £2,200 across years 2–6 versus the old rules. Petrol, diesel and hybrid thresholds stay at £40,000.
The old bands — and the end of £0 tax
Pre-April-2017 cars stay on the older graduated system where annual VED follows CO2 bands (A–M). The significant 2026 change: the former £0 band for cars under 100 g/km now pays £20 a year — affecting a generation of efficient superminis and hybrids that had been tax-free. Higher bands run to roughly £760.
Classics escape entirely: cars over 40 years old qualify for historic-vehicle exemption (rolling). Check any specific car's band with GOV.UK's vehicle-tax lookup using the registration.
❓ Frequently asked Frequently asked questions
How much is car tax in 2026-27?
£200 a year standard rate for every fuel type from year two. New cars pay a CO2-based first-year rate from £10 to £5,690.
What is the expensive car supplement?
£440 a year in years 2–6 for cars listed over £40,000 new — £640 total per year. EVs got a higher £50,000 threshold in April 2026.
Do electric cars pay road tax?
Yes, since April 2025 — £10 in year one, then £200. The supplement only bites above £50,000 list for EVs.
Does the list price include options?
Yes — factory options count toward the threshold. A £39,500 car with £1,000 of options crosses the line and pays the supplement for five years.
What about pre-April-2017 cars?
They use the older graduated bands; the former £0 sub-100g/km band now pays £20 a year. Cars over 40 years old are exempt.
Can I pay monthly?
Yes, by direct debit — but it costs about 5% more than annual payment. Six-monthly carries the same surcharge.
Where these figures come from
All rates come from GOV.UK and the DVLA — the source of record for Vehicle Excise Duty.
- Vehicle tax rates (V149, April 2026) — GOV.UK — Vehicle tax rate tables.
- Check a specific vehicle — GOV.UK — Check vehicle tax.
- Historic vehicle exemption — GOV.UK — Historic vehicles.
Last checked: July 2026. Rates reflect GOV.UK's April 2026 schedule, including the £50,000 EV supplement threshold.
Select the question that matches where you are right now.
Your result is the DVLA charge for the year you selected, plus the six-year total that belongs in any new-car cost comparison.
Compare six-year VED between shortlisted cars — a £41k petrol vs £39k rival differs by £2,200 in tax alone. For new cars, check whether the dealer's OTR price already includes year one.
Not the full cost of running the car — insurance, fuel and depreciation dwarf VED. See the running-cost calculator for the whole picture.
April 2026 GOV.UK rates. Pre-2017 cars need the DVLA lookup for their exact band.
Two cliff-edges create almost all the variation.
£1 of options over the line costs £2,200 across five years. Spec carefully near the threshold.
First-year VED jumps £560 → £1,410 at 151 g/km — one gram is £850.
£10 first year, £200 after, and a £50,000 supplement threshold — over six years a £45k EV pays £1,010 against £3,655 for a £45k petrol equivalent.
VED is fixed by the car — savings come from choosing and paying wisely.
Monthly direct debit adds ~5% — £10 a year on the standard rate, more with the supplement.
Near £40,000, skipping one option can save £2,200. Ask the dealer for the exact list price including options.
A car off the road with a SORN declaration pays nothing — and you reclaim full remaining months on request.
VED is one line in the cost of running a car — model the rest.