Car tax is going up for most – what will you pay?
Owners of all but the most carbon-efficient cars will pay more vehicle tax this year, with inflation-linked rises kicking in from Monday 1 April – and van and motorcycle rates are also going up.
Most vehicle excise duty rates are increasing, roughly in line with the Retail Prices Index measure of inflation.
How much you pay to tax your vehicle depends in part on when it was registered for the first time – so if you bought it second-hand, its first registration date will be when it was registered to the original owner.
Tax rates are also affected by the type of fuel your vehicle runs on or its level of emissions. In some cases, its list price is also a factor.
You can check your vehicle's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and registration date by entering its registration into the Government's vehicle tax tool. But for full details on the changes, see below – you can check what you'll pay for:
For more help on cutting the cost of driving, see our 50+ Motoring MoneySaving Tips.
Costs for cars registered March 2001 - March 2017
If your car was registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017, your tax will rise by up to £15 – although owners of the lowest emission cars won't see a rise, and electric cars are exempt from tax. Here's how what you pay is changing:
CO2 emissions (g/km) | Petrol/diesel cars (with change on 2018/19 rate) | Other cars – eg, hybrids (with change on 2018/19 rate) |
|---|---|---|
Up to 100 | £0 | £0 |
101-110 | £20 | £10 |
111-120 | £30 | £20 |
121-130 | £125 (up £5) | £115 (up £5) |
131-140 | £145 (up £5) | £135 (up £5) |
141-150 | £160 (up £5) | £150 (up £5) |
151-165 | £200 (up £5) | £190 (up £5) |
166-175 | £235 (up £5) | £225 (up £5) |
176-185 | £260 (up £10) | £250 (up £10) |
186-200 | £300 (up £10) | £290 (up £10) |
201-225 (1) | £325 (up £10) | £315 (up £10) |
226-255 | £555 (up £15) | £545 (up £15) |
Over 255 | £570 (up £15) | £560 (up £15) |
Rates shown are if paid by annual direct debit. (1) This category also includes cars which were registered between 1 March 2001 and 22 March 2006 and produce more than 225g/km.
Costs for cars registered April 2017 - March 2019
For cars registered between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2019, what you pay depends on the fuel type and also the 'list price' of your vehicle when it was new (ie, the published price before any discounts).
The table below shows what you'll pay in 2019/20. It's worth noting that owners of cars with a list price of over £40,000 pay a higher rate of tax for the first five years of paying the standard rate – ie, until six years after they were registered.
Car type | List price under £40,000 (with change on 2018/19 rate) | List price of £40,000+ (with change on 2018/19 rate) |
|---|---|---|
Petrol/diesel | £145 (up £5) | £465 (up £15) |
Electric | £0 | £320 (up £10) |
Alternative fuel | £135 (up £5) | £455 (up £15) |
Rates shown are if paid by annual direct debit.
Costs for new cars registered since 1 April 2019
If you've registered your car this week, or you register one in the next year, the amount you pay will depend on its fuel type and emissions.
The amount of CO2 a vehicle produces is a key determining factor. But if you buy a new diesel car, your tax rate will also depend on whether the levels of nitrogen oxides it produces have been tested to the latest 'RDE2' standards, or the older 'RDE' standards.
CO2 emissions (g/km) | Petrol and 'cleaner' diesel cars (1) (with change on 2018/19) | Other diesels (with change on 2018/19) | Alternative fuel cars, eg, hybrids (with change on 2018/19) |
|---|---|---|---|
0 | £0 | £0 | £0 |
1-50 | £10 | £25 | £0 |
51-75 | £25 | £110 (up £5) | £15 |
76-90 | £110 (up £5) | £130 (up £5) | £100 (up £5) |
91-100 | £130 (up £5) | £150 (up £5) | £120 (up £5) |
101-110 | £150 (up £5) | £170 (up £5) | £140 (up £5) |
111-130 | £170 (up £5) | £210 (up £5) | £160 (up £5) |
131-150 | £210 (up £5) | £530 (up £15) | £200 (up £5) |
151-170 | £530 (up £15) | £855 (up £15) | £520 (up £15) |
171-190 | £855 (up £25) | £1,280 (up £40) | £845 (up £25) |
191-225 | £1,280 (up £40) | £1,815 (up £55) | £1,270 (up £40) |
226-255 | £1,815 (up £55) | £2,135 (up £65) | £1,805 (up £55) |
Over 255 | £2,135 (up £65) | £2,135 (up £65) | £2,125 (up £65) |
(1) Diesel cars that have been tested to the latest RDE2 standards.
Costs for cars registered prior to 1 March 2001
If your car or van was registered on or before 28 February 2001, it will be taxed based on engine size:
Engine size | Tax rate (with change on 2018/19 rate) |
|---|---|
1549cc or under | £160 (up £5) |
Over 1549cc | £265 (up £10) |
Rates shown are if paid by annual direct debit.
What will I pay for a motorbike?
If you're a motorcycle owner, the amount of vehicle tax you pay depends on the size of your bike's engine:
Engine size | Tax rate (with change on 2018/19) |
|---|---|
Under 150cc | £20 (up £1) |
151-400cc | £43 (up £1) |
401-600cc | £66 (up £2) |
Over 600cc | £91 (up £3) |
Rates shown are if paid by annual direct debit.
What will I pay for a van?
The vehicle tax you'll pay on a van depends on the type of vehicle and when you registered it.
If you have a light-goods vehicle registered on or after 1 March 2001, you'll pay £260 a year in tax, an increase of £10 a year.
If it was registered on or before 28 February 2001, the amount you pay will depend on the size of its engine.
If your van is in a different tax class, you can check what you'll pay on the Gov.uk website.
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3 December 2024
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