Car tax check

What you get

• Whether the vehicle is currently taxed
• The date the current tax expires
• Whether a SORN has been declared
• MOT status and expiry, shown alongside
• CO₂ emissions and fuel type, which the rate is based on
• Euro status, which drives clean air and ULEZ charges

Tax does not transfer when you buy a car

This catches people out constantly. Since October 2014, vehicle tax has not passed to the new keeper. The seller’s tax is cancelled when they notify the DVLA of the sale, and they receive a refund for the remaining full months.

That means the vehicle is untaxed from the moment you buy it, and you must tax it before you drive it away. You can do that immediately, online or by phone, using the reference on the new keeper slip. A car that shows as taxed on this check today will not be taxed for you tomorrow.

What SORN actually means

A Statutory Off Road Notification tells the DVLA the vehicle is off the road, so no tax is due on it. It must then be kept somewhere off the public road, such as a garage, a drive, or private land. Parking a SORN vehicle on a public road is an offence in itself, even if it is never moved.

A SORN stays in force until the vehicle is taxed again, and it does not expire on its own. On a vehicle you are considering buying, a SORN is worth asking about. It is entirely normal for a stored or project car, and less normal for one advertised as a daily driver.

What happens if a vehicle is untaxed

Enforcement is automatic and does not require anyone to see the vehicle. DVLA records are checked against the register by camera and by data, so an untaxed vehicle on a public road is usually picked up without a person involved.

The first consequence is a late licensing penalty. Beyond that, an untaxed vehicle can be clamped, and clamping brings a release fee and a surety payment on top of the tax owed. Insurance is a separate matter, but an untaxed vehicle is often an uninsured one too, and that is the more expensive problem.

What the rate depends on

For cars registered from 1 April 2017, the first year is based on CO₂ emissions and is usually paid with the vehicle. From the second year onwards almost everything moves to a standard rate. Cars with a list price above £40,000 when new pay an additional rate for several years, and it follows the car rather than the owner, which is worth knowing before buying a used car that was expensive when new.

Cars registered between March 2001 and April 2017 are taxed by CO₂ band for their whole life, which is why an older low emission car can be very cheap to tax. Electric vehicles are no longer exempt, having been brought into the system from April 2025.

This check shows the CO₂ figure and fuel type from the DVLA record so you can see what the rate is based on. For the exact amount payable, GOV.UK is the authority and is free to use.

Common questions

Is this vehicle taxed?

Enter its registration and the check will tell you, along with the date the current tax expires. The answer comes from the DVLA vehicle register.

Do I need to tax a car I have just bought?

Yes, before you drive it. Vehicle tax has not transferred between keepers since October 2014. Use the reference number on the new keeper slip to tax it online straight away.

Can I drive a SORN vehicle?

Only to a pre-booked MOT or other statutory test. Otherwise a SORN vehicle must be kept off the public road entirely, including when parked.

Does the check show how much the tax costs?

It shows the CO₂ figure, fuel type and registration date the rate is calculated from, and whether the vehicle is currently taxed. For the exact amount, GOV.UK publishes the current rates and is free to use.

Why does it say untaxed when I have just taxed it?

The DVLA record can take a short time to update after a payment. If you have a confirmation, that is the authority. This check reports the register, and the register catches up.

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