UK car tax calculator (Vehicle Excise Duty)
UK car tax calculator (Vehicle Excise Duty)UK vehicle tax is a first-year rate set by CO₂ emissions, then a £200 standard rate from year two, plus a £440 supplement for cars listed over £40,000.
Worked example · Standard rate
With CO₂ emissions of 128, this model computes Standard rate of 200 GBP. See the full working.
✓ Verified against 2 self-test cases Updated for 2026-27 · sources checked 2026-08-02
How vehicle tax in United Kingdom is calculated
The UK charges Vehicle Excise Duty in two stages. The first-year rate is set entirely by the car's CO₂ emissions, running from 10 GBP for zero-emission up to several thousand pounds for the highest-emitting cars.
From the second year, almost every car pays the same 200 GBP standard rate for 2026-27. Cars with a list price over 40,000 GBP also pay a 440 GBP expensive-car supplement in years two to six; for electric cars registered from 1 April 2026 that threshold is 50,000 GBP.
The calculator takes CO₂ and list price and shows both the first-year rate and the ongoing standard rate. It is an estimate for a standard petrol/diesel car; alternative-fuel discounts and the newest EV rules are planned refinements. Not tax advice.
Worked example
ShowHide the full working: 2 inputs, 3 computed steps
| Inputs | |
|---|---|
| CO₂ emissions (g/km) | 128 |
| List price | 30,000 GBP |
| Computed by the engine | |
| First-year rate ✓ pinned | 455 GBP |
| Expensive-car supplement ✓ pinned | 0 GBP |
| Standard rate (year 2+) ✓ pinned | 200 GBP |
Every computed row comes from the engine, run on the inputs above. Rows marked ✓ pinned are also fixed by a published self-test, so a change to the model that moved them would fail its own tests.
Frequently asked questions
How much is first-year road tax for 128 g/km?
A car emitting 128 g/km falls in the 111-130 band, so its first-year VED is 455 GBP in 2026-27. From year two it drops to the 200 GBP standard rate unless the list price exceeds 40,000 GBP.
What is the expensive-car supplement?
Cars with a list price above 40,000 GBP pay an extra 440 GBP a year on top of the standard rate, in years two to six of ownership. Enter a list price above 40,000 GBP to include it.
Do electric cars pay road tax now?
Since April 2025 EVs pay VED too. This model focuses on the CO₂-based first-year rate and the standard rate; a dedicated EV mode is a planned addition.
Sources
- GOV.UK — Vehicle tax rate tables · checked 2026-08-02
Estimate. Not tax advice. The verification badge means the model reproduces the stated formula through 2 self-test cases; the sources support that the formula matches the rules.
Check the arithmetic yourself: how this calculator is verified — the formula behind every derived value, the 2 test cases the engine reproduces, and what the badge does and does not claim. Also available as machine-readable JSON.
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