VehicleInformationServices.co.uk is a private, third-party vehicle data service. We are not affiliated with the DVLA or UK Government. Official car tax payment: gov.uk/vehicle-tax ↗
Road tax rates changed April 2026 — your vehicle charge may have increased.
If you need to tax your vehicle, it's important to know that road tax rates may have changed since your last renewal. The amount you pay is now calculated based on several factors, including your vehicle's emissions, fuel type, age, and value.
Vehicle road tax (VED) rates changed on 1 April 2026. The amount you owe to tax your car now depends on fuel type, emissions, registration date, and list price. Here is what changed and how it could affect what you pay at gov.uk.
From 1 April 2026, the standard road tax rate for petrol, diesel, and hybrid cars first registered after 1 April 2017 has increased to £200 per year. This applies when you next tax your car or renew online at gov.uk.
If your vehicle's list price exceeded £40,000 when new, an Expensive Car Supplement of £440 per year is added to your road tax bill for the first five years. This is charged automatically when you pay road tax and is applied on top of your standard rate.
You can no longer tax your electric car for free. EVs registered after 1 April 2025 now pay the standard rate. Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles with a list price over £40,000 are also subject to the Expensive Car Supplement.
Road tax is paid directly through the official gov.uk service. Before you go, make sure you have the following to hand.
You will need a reference number from one of these:
Taxing your car is a legal requirement — even if your vehicle is exempt from payment. UK law requires every vehicle kept or used on a public road to hold a valid tax. You pay road tax directly through gov.uk/vehicle-tax. We are not affiliated with gov.uk or the DVLA and cannot process road tax payments.
Our VR5 Report is a vehicle history and data report. It includes your vehicle's current road tax rate and payment options from the DVLA, so you know what to expect before you tax your car at gov.uk. It is an information service — not a way to pay road tax.
The report also covers MOT status, whether the vehicle has been stolen or written off, any engine changes or resprays, and any previous registration changes — useful to review before taxing a car you have recently bought.
Please note: This site is not the DVLA or gov.uk. The VR5 Report is an information service only and does not tax your vehicle or pay road tax on your behalf.
Official payment: gov.uk/vehicle-tax