Tax My Car Online: How To Tax Your Vehicle Through the DVLA?

Last Updated: 03.11.2026

If you want to tax my car online, the quickest official route is through the DVLA vehicle tax service on GOV.UK.

You normally need the reference number from your V11 reminder, your V5C log book or the green V5C/2 new keeper slip if you have recently bought the vehicle.

Vehicle Excise Duty, commonly called car tax or road tax, must normally be in place before a vehicle is used or kept on a public road.

Even vehicles that qualify for a £0 or exempt tax class may still need to be properly taxed with the DVLA.

The amount you pay depends mainly on when the car was first registered, its CO₂ emissions, fuel type and, for some newer vehicles, its original list price.

The 2026/27 rates apply from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.

What Do I Need To Tax My Car Online?

The document you need depends on whether you already own the vehicle or have just bought it.

You can normally tax a vehicle online using one of the following:

• V11 Reminder: Use the reference number on a recent DVLA vehicle tax reminder or last-chance warning letter
• V5C Log Book: Existing registered keepers can use the reference number from a V5C that is in their name
• V5C/2 New Keeper Slip: New owners can use the green new keeper slip supplied when they buy the vehicle
• Payment Method: Vehicle tax can normally be paid using a debit card, credit card or Direct Debit
• Valid MOT: Where an MOT is legally required, it must normally be valid when the vehicle tax begins

DVLA says MOT information can take up to two days to update after a test, so a recently passed vehicle may occasionally be temporarily unavailable to tax online.

Drivers using their own vehicles for work should remember that vehicle tax is separate from business travel expenses.

The rules around reimbursing work journeys are handled differently through HMRC mileage rates.

How To Tax My Car Online Step By Step?

Taxing a car online is relatively straightforward when you have the correct reference number.

1. Go To The Official DVLA Service: Use the vehicle tax service on GOV.UK
2. Enter Your Reference Number: Use the number from your V11, V5C or V5C/2
3. Confirm the Vehicle: Check that the registration and vehicle details shown are correct
4. Choose the Tax Period: Select the payment option available for your vehicle
5. Choose Your Payment Method: Pay by card or arrange a Direct Debit where available
6. Complete the Application: Follow the confirmation steps and keep the payment confirmation for your records

You can also tax a vehicle by telephone or at a Post Office that deals with vehicle tax. Direct Debit cannot be used when paying by telephone.

DVLA’s official vehicle tax page confirms that drivers can tax a vehicle using a V11 reminder, V5C log book or green new keeper slip.

Businesses operating several vehicles should keep their vehicle records organised alongside other running costs.

This becomes particularly important where vehicles form part of a wider company car scheme and responsibility for tax, fuel and employee use needs to be clearly managed.

How To Tax A Car You Have Just Bought?

Car tax does not transfer to the new keeper when a vehicle is sold.

If you buy a used vehicle, you need to tax it before using it on the road.

DVLA advises buyers to use the green V5C/2 new keeper slip from the log book to tax the vehicle immediately.

The process is generally:

• Get the New Keeper Slip: The seller should provide the green V5C/2 section
• Use the Reference Number: Enter the 12-digit reference from the new keeper supplement
• Choose A Payment Method: Pay the applicable vehicle tax
• Complete the Tax Application: Make sure the application has been accepted before using the vehicle on the road

This applies whether you purchase from a private seller or a dealer. Do not assume that because the previous owner had several months of tax remaining, you can continue using it.

Once DVLA has been informed of the change of keeper, the previous keeper’s tax is cancelled, and any qualifying refund is dealt with separately.

Can I Tax My Car Without A V5C Or V11?

Yes, in some situations you can tax a car without a V11 reminder, but the rules depend on what other documents you have.

If you are the current registered keeper and do not have a V11, you can normally use the V5C log book instead.

If you have just bought the vehicle, you can use the green V5C/2 new keeper slip.

If you are the current keeper and have neither the V11 nor V5C, you will generally need to apply for a replacement V5C.

DVLA says a replacement V5C currently costs £25, and eligible current keepers may be able to tax the vehicle as part of the replacement process.

A new keeper faces a different situation. If you have bought the car but have neither the V5C nor the green new keeper slip, DVLA states that you cannot simply tax the vehicle online as a new keeper. You will normally need to apply for a new V5C by post.

How Much Is My Car Tax?

There is no single car tax price for every vehicle.

Your Vehicle Excise Duty depends on factors including:

• Registration Date: Different systems apply depending on when the car was first registered
• CO₂ Emissions: Emissions determine the rate for many vehicles
• Fuel Type: Certain first-year rates can vary according to the vehicle and emissions standard
• Original List Price: Some newer higher-value vehicles attract an additional annual charge
• Payment Frequency: Paying monthly or every six months can cost more than paying annually

Current Car Tax Rates

For cars first registered on or after 1 April 2017, the first-year rate in 2026/27 varies according to CO₂ emissions.

After the first tax payment, the standard annual rate for cars in this registration group is £200 for 2026/27, before any applicable Expensive Car Supplement.

Standard Rate: 

The official GOV.UK vehicle tax table confirms the 2026/27 first-year rates, £200 standard rate and additional charge for qualifying higher-value cars.

Cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 generally remain in CO₂-based bands.

For 2026/27, annual rates run from £20 for the lowest bands to £790 for vehicles emitting more than 255g/km.

Some owners of older, high-emission vehicles are therefore facing substantial annual running costs, particularly those caught by the higher bands covered in the 2026 high road tax changes for older cars.

For cars registered before 1 March 2001, the 2026/27 rate is based on engine size:

Electric Car Tax

Electric cars are no longer generally exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty.

The change began on 1 April 2025, bringing electric, zero-emission and low-emission vehicles into the VED system.

For 2026/27:

• Registered from 1 April 2025: £10 in the first year, followed by the £200 standard rate
• Registered from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2025: £200 standard annual rate
• Registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017: £20 annual rate for qualifying zero-emission vehicles

Hybrid and alternatively fuelled vehicles also no longer receive the previous £10 annual discount.

The removal of the EV exemption followed the broader April 2025 car tax changes that brought electric vehicles into the VED system for the first time. Rates have since risen with the 2026/27 uprating.

Expensive Car Supplement

Some newer cars attract an additional VED charge because of their original list price.

For 2026/27, the additional rate is £440 per year.

It generally applies when the original list price is:

• Petrol, Diesel or Other Cars: More than £40,000
• Electric and Zero-Emission Cars: More than £50,000

The additional rate normally applies for five years, beginning from the second time the vehicle is taxed.

For an applicable petrol or diesel car, that can mean a standard £200 annual rate plus the £440 supplement, producing a total of £640 before considering different payment schedules.

Can I Pay My Car Tax Monthly?

Yes. Vehicle tax can generally be paid monthly by Direct Debit where that option is available.

For a vehicle with the £200 standard annual rate, the current payment options include:

Monthly and six-monthly Direct Debit arrangements include a 5% surcharge, while paying annually by Direct Debit does not attract that surcharge.

You do not have to be the vehicle’s registered keeper to set up the Direct Debit.

The account holder will receive the relevant Direct Debit correspondence from DVLA.

How To Check If My Car Is Taxed?

You can check a vehicle’s tax status through the official DVLA vehicle enquiry service.

You normally only need the vehicle registration number.

The service can show whether the vehicle is taxed or has a SORN, as well as information such as:

• Tax Status
• Tax Expiry
• MOT Expiry
• First Registration Date
• Engine Size
• Fuel Type
• CO₂ Emissions
• SORN Status

DVLA warns that after applying for vehicle tax or a SORN, its online records can take up to two working days to update.

This means a short delay on the checker does not necessarily mean a successfully completed tax application has failed. Keep your confirmation while waiting for the record to update.

What Happens If You Drive Without Car Tax?

A vehicle that is used or kept on a public road must normally be taxed unless the law provides an applicable exception.

DVLA regularly checks its vehicle register for vehicles that have neither valid tax nor a SORN.

Untaxed vehicles can also be identified through police officers, local authorities, ANPR cameras and DVLA’s wheel-clamping contractor.

Enforcement can include:

• Late Licensing Penalties
• Outstanding Vehicle Tax Demands
• Out-Of-Court Settlements
• Wheel Clamping
• Vehicle Removal
• Debt Recovery
• Court Prosecution

Where an untaxed vehicle is found being used or kept on a public road, it can be clamped and potentially removed to a vehicle pound.

If you are not going to use the vehicle on a public road, making a Statutory Off Road Notification may be the correct alternative.

A SORN generally means the vehicle must remain off public roads until it is taxed again.

How To Cancel Car Tax And Get A Refund?

You cannot simply transfer unused vehicle tax to another owner.

Instead, you need to tell the DVLA when circumstances change. DVLA can cancel the tax when a vehicle has been:

• Sold Or Transferred
• Declared SORN
• Written Off
• Scrapped
• Stolen
• Permanently Exported
• Registered As Tax Exempt

After DVLA receives the relevant information, the vehicle tax is cancelled. Any Direct Debit is also stopped automatically.

A refund is normally issued for full remaining months of vehicle tax. The refund cheque is sent to the name and address recorded on the V5C.

Partial months are not refunded. DVLA also does not refund applicable card fees or certain payment surcharges.

Keeping the address on your V5C current is therefore important, particularly if you expect a refund after selling or disposing of the vehicle.

Conclusion

Taxing your car online is usually quickest when you have your V11 reminder, V5C log book or V5C/2 new keeper slip ready.

The DVLA service allows eligible motorists to pay online by card or Direct Debit, while telephone and participating Post Office options remain available.

The amount you pay depends heavily on the vehicle’s registration date and emissions.

For 2026/27, most cars registered from April 2017 pay a £200 standard annual rate after their first year, while older CO₂-based vehicles can pay anywhere from £20 to £790.

Electric cars are also now within the VED system, and qualifying higher-value cars can face an additional £440 annual charge.

Most importantly, never assume tax transfers when buying a used car. The new keeper must arrange their own vehicle tax before using the car on the road.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Tax My Car Online Immediately?

Yes. If you have the required V11, V5C or V5C/2 reference, you can normally complete the DVLA online tax process straight away.

Can I Tax My Car Without A V5C?

Yes, if you have another accepted document such as a V11 reminder or, for a newly purchased vehicle, the green V5C/2 slip. Otherwise you may need to apply for a replacement V5C.

Can I Tax A Car I Have Just Bought Online?

Yes. Use the 12-digit reference number from the green V5C/2 new keeper slip. Vehicle tax from the previous keeper does not transfer to you.

How Long Does It Take For Car Tax To Show Online?

DVLA says tax and SORN records can take up to two working days to update after an application has been approved.

Can I Drive My Car As Soon As I Tax It Online?

Once the vehicle has been properly taxed, you still need to meet all other legal requirements before driving, including valid insurance and an MOT where required.

Can Someone Else Pay My Car Tax?

Yes. DVLA states that the person setting up a vehicle-tax Direct Debit does not have to be the registered keeper, although correspondence about the payments goes to the account holder.

What Happens If My Car Tax Expires?

You should either renew the tax or make a SORN if the vehicle is being kept off the public road. Keeping or using an untaxed vehicle without the appropriate SORN can lead to enforcement action.