Website of the UK government

The information below is about the changes to Vehicle Tax that will take effect from April 2010.

This page lists the most commonly asked questions, and directs you to where you can find the answers.

What changes are being made to vehicle tax from April 2010?

Vehicle tax rates for cars registered on or after 1 March 2001 are split into 13 bands depending on CO2 emissions. The amount you will pay depends on which band your car comes under.

From April 2010 there will be different Vehicle Tax rates for new cars when they are first registered. These are known as ‘first-year rates’. Standard rates of Vehicle Tax will also change in April 2010.

What are the ‘first-year rates’?

From April 2010 anyone buying a new car will pay a different rate of Vehicle Tax for the first tax disc. From the second tax disc onwards they will then pay the standard rate. This will send a stronger signal to the buyer about the environmental implications of their car purchase and will only apply to new cars, not already registered cars.

• Changes to six-month tax discs, refunds and used imported vehicles

What about already registered cars?

From April 2010, already registered higher emitting cars will be charged up to £30 more and lower emitting cars will be charged up to £30 less.

*Band K includes cars that have a CO2 figure over 225g/km but were registered before 23 March 2006.

What you will pay if your car uses alternative fuel such as electricity or gas

Alternative fuel cars include gas-propelled vehicles, and those capable of being propelled by petrol and gas or electricity and petrol/diesel.

How to find out what your car’s CO2 emissions are

To find out the CO2 emissions of your car, you can either:

• check your registration certificate (V5C)
• enter the make and registration mark of your car into the online ‘vehicle enquiry’ section on DVLA’s Electronic Vehicle Licensing website

• Make an online vehicle enquiry Opens new window

What about cars registered before 1 March 2001?

Rates for cars and vans registered before 1 March 2001 are based on engine size. The rates for these cars from April 2010 are shown in the table below:

Light goods vehicles

There is one vehicle tax rate for light goods vehicles registered on or after 1 March 2001 and one discounted rate for vans that met Euro 4 emissions standards before these became mandatory. From 1 January 2009, diesel vans that meet Euro 5 emissions standards and are first registered between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2010 have also been eligible for the reduced rate of vehicle tax.

The following rates will apply to light goods vehicles from April 2010:

What to I do if you are thinking of changing your car

If you are buying a new car, there are a number of places where you can find out about the CO2 emissions of different models.

The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) website provides fuel consumption and CO2 data for new cars

• The VCA website Opens new window

The Government's "Act on CO2" site hosts ‘best in class’ car rankings, in association with WhatCar? These show the top 10 new cars in a given category (for example, supermini, estate and various others) and will be useful if you are looking to purchase a new car and would like to compare CO2 emissions of different cars within a given category.

• How to buy a fuel efficient car Opens new window

If you are buying a second-hand car registered after 1 March 2001, the CO2 figure will be shown on the registration certificate (V5C).

If you are buying a second-hand car that was registered before 1 March 2001, vehicle tax will continue to be charged on the basis of engine size.