UK Road Tax (VED) Calculator
Work out your UK car tax (VED) for 2024/25. Enter CO2 emissions, fuel type and list price to see the first-year showroom rate, standard rate and £40,000 supplement.
Updated 2026-06-14 · Free · No sign-up · Runs privately in your browser
First-year (showroom) tax is set by CO2 band; from year 2 you pay the flat standard rate, plus a supplement if the list price was over £40,000.
Show the bands & steps
Based on official 2024/25 VED rates (cars first registered from 1 April 2017). Rates change every tax year — verify current figures on GOV.UK before paying.
How the UK Road Tax (VED) Calculator Works
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), commonly called road tax or car tax, is charged in two distinct phases for cars first registered on or after 1 April 2017. This calculator follows the official 2024/25 rules: enter your car’s CO2 emissions, fuel type and list price, and it returns the first-year showroom rate, the ongoing standard rate, and the total you pay in years 2 to 6 if the expensive-car supplement applies.
Rates shown are the published 2024/25 figures. VED changes every tax year — verify current rates on GOV.UK before paying.
The Two-Phase Formula
Year 1 — the showroom rate depends entirely on CO2 emissions:
First-year VED = the rate for your CO2 band (from £0 at 0 g/km up to £2,745 above 255 g/km)
Year 2 onwards — the standard rate, which is flat regardless of emissions:
Standard rate = £190 (petrol/diesel) or £180 (alternative-fuel/hybrid) Plus £410/year for years 2-6 if list price > £40,000
2024/25 First-Year Rate Bands
| CO2 emissions (g/km) | First-year rate (petrol / RDE2 diesel) |
|---|---|
| 0 | £0 |
| 1-50 | £10 |
| 51-75 | £30 |
| 76-90 | £135 |
| 91-100 | £175 |
| 101-110 | £195 |
| 111-130 | £220 |
| 131-150 | £270 |
| 151-170 | £680 |
| 171-190 | £1,095 |
| 191-225 | £1,650 |
| 226-255 | £2,340 |
| Over 255 | £2,745 |
Non-RDE2 diesels are charged the rate from one band higher in year one.
Worked Example
Take a petrol car emitting 120 g/km with a £35,000 list price:
- First-year rate: 120 g/km falls in the 111-130 band, so £220.
- Standard rate from year 2: £190.
- List price is £35,000, which is not over £40,000, so no supplement.
- Years 2-6 cost: £190 + £0 = £190 per year.
Now take a £45,000 car: the same £190 standard rate applies, but the £410 supplement is added in years 2-6, giving £600 per year until it drops back to £190 from year 7.
Why It Matters
The first-year rate is built into the on-the-road price of a new car, so low-emission models are cheaper to register. The flat standard rate then dominates the running cost, with the £40,000 supplement quietly adding £2,050 over five years for pricier vehicles. Checking the band before you buy can save hundreds of pounds across the first few years of ownership.
This tool covers cars registered from April 2017 and does not handle older emissions-band cars, vans, or motorcycles. It is a general estimate, not official guidance — always confirm the current VED rate for your exact vehicle on GOV.UK.
Frequently asked questions
How is UK road tax calculated?+
For cars first registered from 1 April 2017, the first year (the showroom tax) is based on CO2 emissions, ranging from £0 for 0 g/km up to £2,745 for cars over 255 g/km in 2024/25. From the second year you pay a flat standard rate (£190 for petrol and diesel, £180 for hybrids), plus a £410 expensive-car supplement for years 2 to 6 if the list price was over £40,000.
What is the standard rate of road tax for 2024/25?+
The 2024/25 standard annual VED rate is £190 for petrol and diesel cars and £180 for alternative-fuel and hybrid cars. Fully electric cars pay £0 in 2024/25, though that changes from April 2025. This rate applies from the second licence year onwards.
What is the £40,000 car tax supplement?+
Cars with a list price over £40,000 when new pay an extra supplement of £410 a year on top of the standard rate, for years 2 to 6 of the vehicle's life (five years). After that it drops back to the standard rate. The threshold is based on the published list price, not what you actually paid.
Do diesel cars pay more road tax?+
In the first year, diesel cars that do not meet the RDE2 (Real Driving Emissions Step 2) standard are charged the first-year rate from the next CO2 band up, which can mean a higher showroom tax. From year 2, diesels pay the same £190 standard rate as petrol cars.
Is this UK road tax calculator accurate for 2024/25?+
It uses the official 2024/25 VED tables for cars registered on or after 1 April 2017, including first-year bands, the standard rate and the £40,000 supplement. VED rates are revised every tax year in the Budget, so always confirm the current figures on GOV.UK before taxing your vehicle.