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How we work out car tax
Each car page and Compare show the car tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) a new car pays, worked out from its CO2 figure and UK list price at the rates in force from 1 April 2026.
First year
Paid when the car is first registered, based on its official CO2 figure. Electric cars pay £10. Plug-in hybrids use their weighted CO2 figure.
| CO2 (g/km) | First-year tax |
|---|---|
| 0 | £10 |
| 1 to 50 | £115 |
| 51 to 75 | £135 |
| 76 to 90 | £280 |
| 91 to 100 | £365 |
| 101 to 110 | £405 |
| 111 to 130 | £455 |
| 131 to 150 | £560 |
| 151 to 170 | £1,410 |
| 171 to 190 | £2,270 |
| 191 to 225 | £3,420 |
| 226 to 255 | £4,850 |
| Over 255 | £5,690 |
From the second year
£200 a year for petrol, hybrid and electric cars alike.
Cars with a list price over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric cars) pay an extra £440 a year for five years, from the second year: £640 a year in total.
What to bear in mind
- We use the trim's UK list price. Options added to a car count towards the list price, so a well-specified car can cross the threshold even if the basic trim doesn't.
- Vans and pickups are taxed as light goods vehicles, so we don't show a car tax figure for them.
- Rates change each April. These were checked on 10 Nov 2026.
Source: GOV.UK, vehicle tax rates for cars registered on or after 1 April 2017.