If you own a vehicle that is driven on or kept on a public road, then you’ll have to pay car tax. How much car tax you pay depends on which car tax band your car falls into. And which car tax band your car falls into depends on when your vehicle was registered and either its engine size or how environmentally friendly it is.
In this guide we’ll explain the bands so that you can check which tax band your car is in.
In April 2017, there was a huge hike in car tax, and only cars with 0g/km emissions became exempt from paying tax.
Cars registered from the 1st April 2017 have an initial vehicle tax rate for the first 12 months, then a different rate every year after that.
CO2 emissions | Petrol cars, diesel cars that meet RDE2, alternative fuel and zero emissions cars | All other diesel cars |
---|---|---|
0g/km |
£10 |
£10 |
1 to 50g/km |
£110 |
£130 |
51 to 75g/km |
£130 |
£270 |
76 to 90g/km |
£270 |
£350 |
91 to 100g/km |
£350 |
£390 |
101 to 110g/km |
£390 |
£440 |
111 to 130g/km |
£440 |
£540 |
131 to 150g/km |
£540 |
£1,360 |
151 to 170g/km |
£1,360 |
£2,190 |
171 to 190g/km |
£2,190 |
£3,300 |
191 to 225g/km |
£3,300 |
£4,680 |
226 to 255g/km |
£4,680 |
£5,490 |
Over 255g/km |
£5,490 |
£5,490 |
Fuel type | Single 12 month payment | Single 12 month payment by Direct Debit | Total of 12 monthly payments by Direct Debit | Single 6 month payment | Single 6 month payment by Direct Debit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Petrol, diesel, electric & alternative fuel vehicles |
£195 |
£195 |
£204.75 |
£107.25 |
£102.38 |
Vehicles with a list price of over £40,000 (not including zero emission vehicles) have to pay an extra £425 per year for five years.
The rate of vehicle tax for cars registered in this period is based on fuel type and CO2 emissions. Since March 2001, there have been 13 car tax bands.
The lower the CO2 emissions, the lower the car tax band, and if you buy a car with CO2 emissions below 100g/km, you won't have to pay any car tax.
Car tax band & CO2 emission | Single 12 month payment | Single 12 month payment by Direct Debit | Total of 12 monthly instalments by Direct Debit | Single 6 month payment | Single 6 month payment by Direct Debit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A: Up to 100g/km |
£20 |
£20 |
£21 |
N/A |
N/A |
B: 101 to 110g/km |
£20 |
£20 |
£21 |
N/A |
N/A |
C: 111 to 120g/km |
£35 |
£35 |
£36.75 |
N/A |
N/A |
D: 121 to 130g/km |
£165 |
£165 |
£173.25 |
£90.75 |
£86.63 |
E: 131 to 140g/km |
£195 |
£195 |
£204.75 |
£107.25 |
£102.38 |
F: 141 to 150g/km |
£215 |
£215 |
£225.75 |
£118.25 |
£112.88 |
G: 151 to 165g/km |
£265 |
£265 |
£278.25 |
£145.75 |
£139.13 |
H: 166 to 175g/km |
£315 |
£315 |
£330.75 |
£173.25 |
£165.38 |
I: 176 to 185g/km |
£345 |
£345 |
£362.25 |
£189.75 |
£181.13 |
J: 186 to 200g/km |
£395 |
£395 |
£414.75 |
£217.25 |
£207.38 |
K*: 201 to 225g/km |
£430 |
£430 |
£451.50 |
£236.50 |
£225.75 |
L: 226 to 255g/km |
£735 |
£735 |
£771.75 |
£404.25 |
£385.88 |
M: Over 255g/km |
£760 |
£760 |
£798 |
£418 |
£399 |
*Includes cars with a CO2 figure over 225g/km but were registered before 23 March 2006.
You can find your vehicle’s CO2 emissions in your V5C logbook or on the Vehicle Certification Agency website.
You should check the latest vehicle tax rates from the DVLA to confirm the tax band of your vehicle. And no matter your car tax band, you’ll need a car insurance policy in place before you can tax your vehicle. Get a Saga car insurance quote today.
The rate of car tax for cars registered before 1st March 2001 is based on engine size. There are just two categories of engine size – not over 1549cc, and over 1549cc.
Engine size | Single 12 month payment | Single 12 month payment by Direct Debit | Total of 12 monthly instalments by Direct Debit | Single 6 month payment | Single 6 month payment by Direct Debit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Not over 1549cc |
£220 |
£220 |
£231 |
£121 |
£115.50 |
Over 1549cc |
£360 |
£360 |
£378 |
£198 |
£189 |
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