Car tax checker | Free Tax Price Calculator (2024)

How to use the Parkers car tax calculator

Using the car Parkers tax calculator is easy! It's also the perfect way to check the road tax on your own car, or any other vehicle you might be interested in.

You just select your car make and model through the dropdown menus above.

On the third dropdown, you'll be able to choose the bodystyle and year the car was manufactured. (Don't worry if the exact year isn't there, as long as it falls within the range you're presented with.)

Then, hit the blue 'go to' button and you'll come to a new page, which will show you a list of all the tax rates for all the models that fall into the categories you've selected. If you're not quite sure exactly what your car is, you can find out by using our Car Valuation Tool, which allows you to enter your registration number to tell you exactly what the make, range and exact model it is.

How car road tax (VED) is calculated

There's a UK full guide to car tax (VED) on Parkers, as well as a car tax advice section, but briefly, the current car road tax rates are calculated on CO2 emissions and price; those between 2001 and 2017 are CO2 emissions only, while those older than 2001 have rated based on their engine capacity alone.

For new cars, there are 13 CO2 tax bands which relate to different emissions levels and amounts of car tax payable. The list price cut-off is £40,000 or more. Cars registered from 1 April 2017 are liable for 12 months First Year Rate (FYR), depending on the car's CO2 emissions.

Pre-March 2001 cars are divided into two bands, based on engine capacity in cubic centimetres (cc). The dividing point between upper and lower is 1549cc. If you're not sure of your car's engine capacity, you can check it using the Parkers car specs pages.

Looking for company car tax?

If you're entitled to a company car, then you'll need to pay company car tax to reflect the Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) you've received in place of salary. It's a very complex system based on the car's P11d value, your salary and the CO2 emissions of the car.

The good news is we also have a very useful Company Car Tax section to tell you all you need to know.

Car Tax calculator: your questions answered

Q: What is car tax and why is it so important?
A: Car tax (or Vehicle Excise Duty as it’s officially known as) is something that all vehicle owners pay in order to allow them to park and drive their cars on roads in the United Kingdom.

Q: Why do I have to pay car tax?
A: UK drivers are legally required to purchase car tax annually. It was introduced to help maintain road surfaces and originally all monies collected could not be spent on anything but road maintenance. But Winston Churchill changed all that, enabling the use of the VED pot to be spent on other things. (If you're wondering why we still have potholes).

Q: What happens if I get caught with an untaxed car?
A: If you are caught on the road in an untaxed vehicle, you could be fined up to £1,000. The DVLA can order untaxed vehicles on the street to be clamped and will impound them in some cases. When DVLA clamps an untaxed vehicle, the owner will be charged a £100 release fee. If you can't show that the vehicle has been taxed at the time it’s released, you will have to pay a surety fee of £160 – but you get that back if you can show the vehicle has been taxed within 15 days.

Q: Is my car taxed? How to check online
A: You can check vehicle tax easily and online by going to the DVLA website and entering the vehicle registration number.

Q: How are high-end new or secondhand cars affected by car tax?
A: New vehicles costing more than £40,000 are subject to an annual £310 supplement every year for five years after the first time it’s taxed. And that’s the price before any discounts. Basically, if it costs more than £40,000 it’s more expensive to tax regardless of how clean it is. For pre-2017 cars, taxed is based on emissions, so if it’s a gas guzzler, it’s likely to attract the top rate of tax – remember, you can perform a road tax cost check on this page.

Q: Which documents do I need to renew my tax?
• If you’re taxing online, you’ll need a reminder from the DVLA (known as a V11) or your car logbook (known as a V5C) so you can enter the 11-digit reference number online.
• You’ll need an up to date MoT certificate if it’s four-years or older and taxing it at a post office, but this will be automatically checked when you apply online.
• You’ll also need to be insured – if you’re taxing at a post office, you’ll need to show an insurance certificate or cover note.

Q: How do I tax my new car?
A: If you buy a brand-new car, the dealer will usually arrange for it to be registered, and will obtain a reference number from which you can get your car taxed.

Q: Do I still need a tax disc for my car?
A: No, these were phased out in 2014. If you happen to have any old ones, you might find an unlikely win on eBay, since some folks are interested in collecting them

Q: I don’t have my DVLA reminder or my registration document. Can I still renew my vehicle tax at the Post Office?
A: Yes. If you have lost your V5C, you’ll need to go to a Post Office and tax your vehicle using a (V62) form.

Q: My vehicle has been off the road. Can I still tax it?
A: If you have declared your car SORN—this stands for Statutory Off-Road Notification—and are returning it to the road, the process of re-taxing it is simple. You can do this online or over the phone by contacting the DVLA. All you need is your 11-digit reference number on the vehicle’s logbook, which you can then enter on the DVLA website. Just make sure it’s MoT’d and insured – if its test has run out you will need to re-test it before you can tax it.

Q: My vehicle is free to tax. Do have to do anything?
A: Yes, even if your vehicle is £0 to tax (some pre-2017 models with less than 100g/km CO2 fall in this brackets, as do some classic cars), you will still have some paperwork to complete. Fortunately, you don't necessarily have to have your MOT completed before you renew your tax. You'll complete the details with the expectation you'll ensure the car passes its MOT.

Further reading on Car Tax

>> Visit our car tax and VED advice landing page

>> Visit the official DVLA car tax website