What "car tax" actually means
Car tax is Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), often still called road tax. It is the DVLA charge for keeping a vehicle taxed for the road. It is separate from congestion charges, ULEZ, insurance and MOT.
The amount is not the same for every car. DVLA sets it from facts tied to that registration, such as first registration date, CO2 figures, fuel type and, for older cars, engine size.
Why checking by registration is the reliable way
Guessing from the model year alone often goes wrong. Two cars of the same age can sit in different tax bands if one is petrol, one is diesel, or their CO2 figures differ.
Entering the plate pulls the vehicle record DVLA uses for tax. That is why searches like "how much is my car tax" and "road tax calculator by reg" point at a reg lookup, not a generic price list.
- Cars registered from April 2017: tax is largely driven by CO2 for the first year, then a standard rate, with extras for some expensive cars.
- Older cars: bands often follow CO2 or engine size rules that applied when the car was new.
- Electric and low-emission cars: rules have changed over time, so always check the live figure for that plate rather than relying on an old article.
How to check how much your car tax is
- Have the registration ready (the number plate).
- Use a free tax calculator that looks up that plate against DVLA vehicle data.
- Read the yearly (and any first-year) figure shown for that vehicle.
- If you are buying, compare that cost with similar cars before you settle on a price.
ServiceByReg's free car tax calculator does this from the registration. If you want another independent lookup that works the same way, MOTCO's car tax calculator also estimates VED from the plate.
A free check may show whether a car is currently taxed. That is not the same as what it will cost you to tax next year. Use the calculator for the amount.
What a tax check will not tell you
Road tax does not cover outstanding finance, write-off category or stolen markers. Those are separate risk checks. When you are buying, run a ServiceByReg report for those, and use the tax calculator only for the running cost question.
Common questions
Can I check car tax with just the registration?
Yes. A tax calculator by reg uses DVLA vehicle data linked to the plate. You do not need the V5C in your hand for a basic estimate.
Is road tax the same as ULEZ?
No. VED is national road tax. ULEZ is a separate London clean-air charge. A car can be cheap to tax and still attract a daily ULEZ fee.