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Free DVLA-powered tool

Free Car Tax
& ULEZ Check.

Check car tax, ULEZ compliance, tax band, and MOT status instantly. Our free tool does a complete tax and MOT check in one search using official DVLA data — no sign-up required.

Check tax and MOT in one search

Official DVLA data

ULEZ and Clean Air Zone compliance

GB

Data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)

What Does Our Vehicle Tax Check Show?

Our free vehicle tax check is also a complete tax and MOT check — everything you need to know about your vehicle's tax, ULEZ, and MOT status in one place.

Tax status

Whether your vehicle is currently taxed, untaxed, or SORN.

ULEZ compliance

Whether your vehicle meets emissions standards for London ULEZ and UK Clean Air Zones.

MOT status

Current MOT status and expiry date at a glance.

£

Tax band and annual cost

Your vehicle's VED band and estimated yearly road tax.

CO₂ emissions

Your vehicle's carbon emissions rating and environmental impact.

Vehicle details

Make, colour, fuel type, engine capacity, and registration history.

How to Check Your Car Tax

Three simple steps. No sign-up, no payment, no email required.

1

Enter your registration

Type your vehicle's number plate into the search box to check vehicle tax instantly. No sign-up needed.

2

View your tax and ULEZ status

See your vehicle's tax status, ULEZ compliance, tax band, and MOT status in seconds.

3

Take action

Tax your vehicle on GOV.UK, check your full MOT history, or compare car insurance.

Is My Car ULEZ Compliant?

What ULEZ and Clean Air Zones are

London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charges non-compliant vehicles £12.50 per day to drive within the zone. Similar Clean Air Zones operate in Birmingham (£8/day), Bath, Bristol, Bradford, and several Scottish cities. The aim is to reduce air pollution by encouraging drivers to switch to cleaner vehicles.

The compliance rules

Petrol vehicles generally need to meet Euro 4 emissions standards (generally registered from January 2006). Diesel vehicles need to meet Euro 6 (generally registered from September 2015). Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from charges. Historic vehicles - 40 or more years old and registered in the 'Historic' tax class - are typically exempt too.

How our tool works

Our checker uses your vehicle's Euro emissions standard from DVLA records. When DVLA data isn't available, we estimate compliance based on your vehicle's registration date and fuel type - the same approach used by TfL. For a definitive answer, you can also use the TfL vehicle checker.

Always confirm with the zone authority

Compliance rules can change and individual zone authorities may apply additional criteria. Always check with the relevant zone authority for a definitive confirmation before driving. If you're concerned about emissions charges, comparing car insurance for a newer, compliant vehicle could save you money in the long run.

Understanding Road Tax (VED)

What is VED?

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) - commonly called road tax, car tax, or vehicle tax - is the annual tax you pay to keep or drive your vehicle on UK roads. The amount depends mainly on when your vehicle was first registered, its CO₂ emissions, and its fuel type. Our free road tax check pulls VED data directly from DVLA records, so you can check road tax, tax band, and estimated annual cost above in seconds. Need a step-by-step walkthrough? Our guide on how to pay car tax online covers everything from payment methods to Direct Debit setup.

The three tax systems

There are three different VED systems based on your vehicle's first registration date:

  • Before 1 March 2001: based on engine size - £200/year up to 1549cc, £325/year over.
  • 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017: based on CO₂ emissions, with 13 bands from A (£0) to M (£695).
  • From 1 April 2017: a first-year rate based on CO₂, then a flat standard rate of £190 per year.

The £40,000 premium supplement

Vehicles registered after 1 April 2017 with a list price of over £40,000 pay an additional £410 per year for years 2 to 6 of ownership, on top of the standard rate. This is sometimes called the "expensive car" or "premium" supplement. After five years, you go back to the standard rate.

Electric vehicles now pay road tax

From April 2025, electric vehicles pay the standard VED rate of £190 per year. They were previously exempt. New EVs over £40,000 also pay the premium supplement. For the official rate tables, see GOV.UK's vehicle tax rate tables.

Ready to Compare Car Insurance?

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Do You Need to Tax Your Car?

Yes - if you drive or keep your vehicle on a public road in the UK, it must be taxed. The only exception is if you've declared the vehicle SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), in which case you don't need to tax it but you also can't drive or park it on a public road. Buying a used car? Use our free tool above to check vehicle tax and check if a car is taxed before you drive it home.

Driving an untaxed vehicle can result in a fine of up to £1,000, vehicle clamping, or in the most serious cases having the vehicle impounded and crushed. The DVLA uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to detect untaxed vehicles, so detection rates are very high. Unlike the MOT, there is no grace period - tax must be in place the moment your previous tax expires.

If you're not using your vehicle on public roads - for example, it's stored on private land or in a garage during restoration - you can declare it SORN through the DVLA. You can do this online at GOV.UK and you'll receive a refund for any full months of unused tax.

Driving without valid tax can also give insurers grounds to reject a claim, even if your insurance policy is still active. Most policies require the vehicle to be road-legal, and that includes having current tax. If you need new cover, compare car insurance via Brumble to find competitive quotes.

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Car Tax Checker FAQs

Common questions about car tax, ULEZ compliance, SORN, and how this tool works.

Enter your registration number in our free tool above to check instantly. You'll see your car tax status — whether your vehicle is currently taxed, untaxed, or declared SORN — plus the exact expiry date. The same check answers "is my vehicle taxed?" for any UK-registered car.
Our tool does both in one search — whether you want to check tax and MOT, check MOT and tax, or just ask "is my car taxed and MOT'd?", enter your reg above to see both statuses side by side. For full MOT test history including advisories and mileage, use our MOT history checker.
Our tool checks your vehicle's Euro emissions standard against ULEZ requirements. Petrol vehicles need Euro 4 (generally 2006 onwards), diesel vehicles need Euro 6 (generally September 2015 onwards). Electric vehicles are exempt.
Road tax (VED) costs depend on when your vehicle was registered, its CO₂ emissions, and fuel type. Enter your reg in our tool to see your vehicle's tax band and estimated annual cost.
Driving or keeping an untaxed vehicle on a public road is illegal. You could face a fine of up to £1,000, have your vehicle clamped, or have it impounded and crushed. There is no grace period after your tax expires.
A Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) declares that your vehicle is not being used or kept on a public road. When a vehicle is SORN, you don't need to pay road tax, but you also can't drive it on any public road. You can declare SORN through the DVLA.
They're the same thing. The official name is Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), but it's commonly called road tax, car tax, or vehicle tax. Our tool shows your VED status regardless of which term you use.
You can tax your vehicle online at GOV.UK, by phone on 0300 123 4321, or at a Post Office. You'll need your V11 reminder letter or V5C registration document. You can pay annually, every six months, or monthly by Direct Debit.
Since April 2025, electric vehicles pay the standard VED rate of £190 per year. Before that date, they were exempt. Electric vehicles remain exempt from ULEZ and Clean Air Zone charges.
Non-compliant cars, vans, and motorcycles are charged £12.50 per day in London's ULEZ. Birmingham's Clean Air Zone charges £8 per day. Charges apply 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Failure to pay results in a Penalty Charge Notice of £180 (reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days).
Yes. Our tool lets you check the tax status of any UK-registered vehicle. You just need the registration number. This is useful when buying a used car - an untaxed vehicle may have been off the road and could have underlying issues.
Enter your registration in our tool to see your vehicle's tax band. For vehicles registered between 2001 and 2017, the band is based on CO₂ emissions (bands A to M). Vehicles registered after April 2017 pay a flat standard rate of £190 per year.
You can cancel your vehicle tax through the DVLA if you sell the vehicle, scrap it, take it off the road (SORN), or export it. Visit GOV.UK to cancel online. You'll receive a refund for any full months of remaining tax. If you're selling your car, the new owner will need to tax it in their own name - your tax cannot be transferred.
When you buy a vehicle, the previous owner's tax is automatically cancelled. You must tax the vehicle in your name before driving it on a public road - even if the seller says it's still taxed. Check if car is taxed using our free tool above, and tax it on GOV.UK using the new keeper slip from the V5C.
As of 2026, Clean Air Zones operate in London (ULEZ), Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Bradford, and several Scottish cities (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen). More cities are planning zones. Our tool checks your vehicle's compliance with all of these.
Yes, completely free. Our car tax checker uses official DVLA data and there's no sign-up, no account, and no hidden charges. You can check as many vehicles as you like.
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