Car tax check: is this car taxed, and when is it due?
Type in a registration and the car tax check shows the vehicle's current tax status as the DVLA holds it: taxed, untaxed or declared off the road, with the date the tax runs out and the annual rate for the car's band. It is the same record the DVLA and the police work from, it is free, and the MOT status appears on the same page so you only enter the plate once.
What the car tax check shows
Vehicle tax, road tax and car tax are all the same thing: Vehicle Excise Duty, paid to the DVLA. Since paper tax discs ended in 2014 the only way to know whether a car is taxed is to look it up, and that is what this page does. The result shows the status today, the due date, and how many days remain. Because tax does not transfer between keepers, a car you are buying will always need taxing by you before you drive it away, however long the seller's tax had left; the check is still worth running, because a car that has sat untaxed for a long time has usually sat unused too.
Alongside the tax position we show the MOT status and expiry from the DVSA, the make, model, colour, engine size and fuel type, the CO2 figure and the Euro emissions standard. The CO2 figure matters here because it decides the tax band, and the Euro standard decides whether the car meets ULEZ and clean air zone rules.
How much is the car tax?
The annual rate depends on when the car was first registered and what it emits. Cars registered before April 2017 are taxed by CO2 band, so a small petrol car can cost nothing and a large older diesel several hundred pounds a year. Cars registered from April 2017 pay a first-year rate based on CO2 and then a flat standard rate, with an extra charge for five years on cars that had a list price over £40,000 when new. Electric cars began paying vehicle tax from April 2025. We show the current 12-month rate and the 6-month rate for the car's band; the figures are indicative and the DVLA's own calculator is the final word, so confirm there before you budget.
Taxed, untaxed or SORN: what each means
Taxed means the DVLA holds a current payment and the car may be kept and driven on public roads. Untaxed means the payment has lapsed; the car cannot be used or parked on a public road, and the DVLA issues automatic penalties from its records without anyone needing to spot the car. SORN, a Statutory Off Road Notification, means the keeper has declared the car off the road and it must be kept on private land. A SORN car can only be driven to a pre-booked MOT. If you are buying a car showing SORN, that is normal for a car that has been stored; just make sure you tax it before you drive it home.
Car tax questions
How do I check if my car is taxed?
Enter the registration above and the status appears instantly, with the due date. You will see the same answer on the GOV.UK vehicle enquiry service; we add the MOT, mileage and specification on the same page.
Can I check someone else's car tax?
Yes. Tax status is public information held against the registration, and no keeper details are shown. If a car on your street appears untaxed you can report it to the DVLA.
When is my car tax due?
The due date is shown on the report. Tax runs to the end of a calendar month, so a payment made on 14 March runs to 31 March the following year, or six months on, if you chose that option.
Why does the check say untaxed when I have just paid?
The DVLA record can take up to five working days to update after a payment or a change of keeper. If you have your payment confirmation you are covered during that time.
Does car tax transfer when I buy a car?
No. The seller's remaining tax is refunded to them automatically and you must tax the car yourself, online or at a Post Office, using the new keeper slip from the V5C, before you drive it.
Is my car exempt from tax?
Cars built more than 40 years ago, some vehicles used by disabled people and certain agricultural vehicles are exempt, but they still have to be registered as taxed each year at a nil rate. The report shows an exempt car as taxed.
Last updated 9 November 2026. Tax status: DVLA Vehicle Enquiry Service. Rates are indicative; confirm on GOV.UK. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.