Car tax and insurance

To legally drive, you must have both car tax and insurance. But you might have some questions: Do you need car insurance to tax your car? How much tax will you owe? Are there any exemptions? Our comprehensive guide covers all these topics and more.

Can you tax a car without car insurance?

To tax your car, you need valid car insurance. The Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) law requires your car to be insured at all times, even if you're not driving it.

You don't need to have your insurance documents with you when you pay your tax because the DVLA can check this automatically using the Motor Insurance Database. You can also get temporary car insurance to tax your car, but keep in mind that it might not appear on the Motor Insurance Database immediately.

If you get a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) for your car, you don't need to tax or insure it. This is the only exception. However, with a SORN, you can't drive or park your car on public roads – it must be kept on private land.

How much car tax will I need to pay?

The cost of your car tax depends on two key factors: the type of vehicle you have and how old it is. A lot of it is based on your car's CO2 emissions. If your car is greener (like newer, hybrid models), you'll pay less road tax.

The price also depends on whether your vehicle was made before or after 1st April 2017.

Is my vehicle exempt from car tax?

Some vehicles are exempt from car tax, meaning their owners don't have to pay it. These include:

• Agricultural, horticultural, and forestry vehicles: Includes tractors, agricultural engines and vehicles used less than 1.5km on public roads.
• Disabled passenger vehicles: Used by organisations to transport disabled people (not ambulances).
• Historic vehicles: Made before 1st January 1984.
• Mobility vehicles and powered wheelchairs: Must have a top speed of 8mph on roads and are limited to 4mph on footpaths.
• Mowing machines: Used only for cutting grass.
• Vehicles used by disabled people: Disabled individuals can apply for a disability exemption. This can only be used for one vehicle at a time.
• Vehicles with SORN: If you’ve declared a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), you don’t need to pay car tax.

Even though these vehicles don't require car tax, owners still need to complete a road tax application, but there won't be any payment.

Note: Electric vehicle owners will need to pay car tax from 1st April 2025. They were previously exempt.

Car tax without a logbook

Your car's logbook (V5C) is important because it proves you own the car and includes details like when it was registered, who made it and the engine size. You usually need it to pay car tax.

If you lose your logbook, you can still pay your car tax. In 2024, the DVLA introduced a new service that lets you pay your car tax even if you don't have your logbook.

You can go to the government website to apply for a new logbook and pay your car tax at the same time. Before this, you had to wait for the new logbook to arrive before you could pay your car tax.

Car tax renewal

You have three options to renew your car tax: online, by telephone or at the Post Office (only specific Post Offices offer this service).

For more details, check out our comprehensive guide to renewing your car tax.

How to check car tax

If you’re unsure about when your car tax is due or you haven’t received a V11 reminder letter, you can quickly check your renewal date online. The only information you need is your registration number.

Learn how to check your car tax status in our dedicated guide.