Car Tax Bands 2026 Explained: How Much Will You Pay?
UK vehicle tax bands for 2026 broken down clearly. How the system works for cars registered before 2001, between 2001 and 2017, and from April 2017 onwards, plus what EV drivers now pay.
UK vehicle tax (officially called Vehicle Excise Duty, or VED) is one of those charges that feels simple until you actually try to work out what you owe. Rates vary by the date your car was first registered, the fuel it burns, its CO2 emissions, and in some cases its list price when new. There are now three completely separate sets of rules running in parallel. Here is the full 2026 breakdown.
The three systems at a glance
- Pre-2001 vehicles: taxed by engine size. Two rates, simple.
- 2001 to March 2017 vehicles: taxed by CO2 emissions, 13 bands.
- April 2017 onwards vehicles: a flat standard rate after the first year, with an expensive-car supplement for models over £40,000 list price.
Your car falls into exactly one of these three systems based on when it was first registered, and that never changes even as the vehicle gets older.
Pre-2001 vehicles: engine size only
For cars first registered before 1 March 2001, the tax is decided purely by engine capacity:
- Under 1,549 cc: £210 per year
- 1,549 cc or over: £345 per year
That is it. No CO2 calculation, no fuel-type bonus, no list-price uplift. The downside is that many cars from this era are also pre-Euro 4 and therefore liable for daily charges in clean-air zones. Check the Euro status as well as the tax.
Vehicles built more than 40 years ago qualify for Historic Vehicle exemption and pay zero VED, though you still need to apply for the exemption on your annual renewal.
2001 to March 2017: the CO2-banded system
For cars first registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017, annual tax is based on the official CO2 emissions figure as recorded on the DVLA database. The 2026 rates are:
| Band | CO2 (g/km) | Annual tax |
|---|---|---|
| A | Up to 100 | £0 |
| B | 101-110 | £20 |
| C | 111-120 | £35 |
| D | 121-130 | £160 |
| E | 131-140 | £190 |
| F | 141-150 | £210 |
| G | 151-165 | £255 |
| H | 166-175 | £305 |
| I | 176-185 | £335 |
| J | 186-200 | £385 |
| K | 201-225 | £415 |
| L | 226-255 | £710 |
| M | Over 255 | £735 |
Band A (free) and Band K (£415) are where most drivers will find themselves, depending on the type of car. A 2015 diesel hatchback typically falls into Band B or C. A 2010 SUV can easily land in Band J or K.
To find your exact figure, our free car tax check shows the CO2 emissions for any UK-registered vehicle, which tells you the band directly.
April 2017 onwards: the flat-rate system
From 1 April 2017, the government replaced the complex 13-band system with a much flatter structure. For cars registered after this date:
- The first year ("showroom tax") is still CO2-based, but the amounts are much steeper than under the old system. A zero-emission car pays £0 in year one. A typical petrol hatchback pays around £165. An SUV with 190 g/km emissions pays over £1,500 in the first year alone.
- From year two onwards, all non-electric cars pay a flat £195 per year.
- Hybrid and alternative-fuel cars get a £10 discount, paying £185 per year.
- Pure electric cars paid zero until April 2025. From April 2025 onwards they pay the standard £195 rate just like petrol and diesel.
- Expensive-car supplement: if the car had a list price over £40,000 when new, an extra £410 per year is charged in years two through six. This adds to the standard rate, so a £45,000 petrol BMW from 2024 pays £195 + £410 = £605 a year for those five years. Then it drops back to £195.
The hidden gotcha: expensive-car supplement on EVs
Before April 2025, electric cars were zero-rated and the expensive-car supplement did not apply. From April 2025 onwards, the supplement was extended to electric vehicles registered new on or after 1 April 2017. That means a £55,000 Tesla from 2020 now pays £195 + £410 per year in total £605 until the car is six years old. Many EV owners were caught out by this change.
If you are shopping for a used electric car, run the registration through our free tax check before you buy. It will show the current tax status and the next due date, so you know exactly what you are taking on.
Monthly vs annual: you pay more either way
You can pay VED annually, six-monthly, or monthly by direct debit. The monthly and six-monthly options carry a 5% surcharge, so the cheapest way is always to pay the full year up front. On a £195 car that means paying an extra £10 a year just to spread the cost.
If cashflow matters more than the saving, monthly direct debit is fine. Just know that over four years of monthly payments you will have spent £39 more than you would have paying annually.
How to check your current tax status and rate
Three things are useful to know for any vehicle you own or are considering buying:
- Is it currently taxed, untaxed or SORN?
- When does the current tax expire?
- Which band applies and how much is the renewal?
Our free car tax check covers the first two instantly using live DVLA data. For the third, combine the vehicle's registration date and CO2 figure (both shown on the check) with the tables above.
If you want to be reminded before your tax expires so you are never caught out, our reminder service sends email alerts at 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before expiry for a one-off payment of £3.99 a year. Details appear at the bottom of every vehicle check page.
Running costs go beyond tax
VED is only one line on the bill. Fuel is by far the largest running cost for most drivers, and petrol and diesel prices vary by as much as 15p per litre between nearby forecourts. Our live fuel price checker shows the cheapest stations in your area on an interactive map, powered by the official UK Government Fuel Finder data. On a 50-litre tank that 15p gap is £7.50 saved per fill.