CarVerified provides a free UK road tax check using just the registration number. Instantly see whether a vehicle is taxed, untaxed, or SORN, along with its tax due date — so you can check if a car is taxed in seconds, whether it's your own vehicle or one you're about to buy.
• Current tax status (Taxed / Untaxed / SORN)
• Tax due date
• CO₂ emissions & tax band
• DVLA vehicle details
Knowing the tax status is crucial when buying a used car. An untaxed vehicle cannot be legally driven on public roads. CarVerified combines tax status with MOT history, mileage records, and DVLA data to give you a complete picture.
Road tax is officially called Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), and how much you pay depends on the vehicle's age, fuel type and CO₂ emissions:
• Standard rate: £200 a year for most petrol, diesel and electric cars, from the second year onwards
• First-year rate: based on CO₂ emissions at registration, ranging from £10 for zero-emission cars up to £5,690 for the highest-emitting band
• Expensive car supplement: an extra £440 a year, for 5 years, on cars that cost over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric cars) when new
• Electric cars are no longer tax-exempt — since April 2025 they pay the same standard rate as petrol and diesel cars
These are the general DVLA rates rather than a quote for a specific vehicle — run a free check above to see the exact tax status, due date and band for the car you're interested in.
Driving, or even just parking, an untaxed vehicle on a public road is illegal unless it's been declared SORN. DVLA uses Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to identify untaxed vehicles automatically, without needing to be stopped by police. The registered keeper can be issued an £80 fixed penalty, reduced to £40 if paid within 28 days. If a police officer stops the vehicle directly, an out-of-court settlement can apply instead. Unpaid penalties can be referred to the magistrates' court, where fines of up to £1,000, or five times the annual tax rate, whichever is greater, can be imposed.
No — and this catches out a lot of buyers. Since October 2014, vehicle tax has not transferred between owners, even if the previous keeper still had months of tax remaining. When a seller tells DVLA they've sold the car, any full remaining months are automatically refunded to them, not passed on to you. As the buyer, you must tax the vehicle yourself, in your own name, before you drive it away — you can't rely on the seller's tax still being valid. It's worth checking a car's tax status as part of your pre-purchase checks, alongside MOT history, mileage and finance.
SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. It lets you legally keep an untaxed vehicle off the public road — for example, in a garage, driveway or private land — without paying road tax or needing valid insurance. A SORN vehicle cannot be driven or parked on any public road at all, even briefly, and it stays in place until you either tax the vehicle again or sell it. This is different from simply letting your tax lapse: an untaxed vehicle with no SORN in place is treated as illegally on the road if it's kept anywhere accessible from a public road. Our free check shows whether a vehicle is currently SORN, so you know exactly where it stands before you buy or drive it.
How do I check if a car is taxed?
Enter the registration number into CarVerified’s free tax checker and you’ll instantly see whether the car is taxed, untaxed, or SORN (off the road), along with its tax due date — pulled directly from DVLA data.
How can I check my road tax?
You can check your road tax by registration number using CarVerified’s free UK road tax check — no signup or card details needed, and results appear instantly.
Is my vehicle taxed or SORN?
A vehicle can be Taxed, Untaxed, or SORN (declared off the road and not allowed on public roads). Our tax check shows you exactly which status applies, along with the tax due date if it’s currently taxed.
Can I check car tax by registration number for free?
Yes — CarVerified’s road tax check is completely free for every UK vehicle. Just enter the registration number, no account or payment required.
How much is road tax for my car?
For 2026/27, the standard rate is £200 a year for most petrol, diesel and electric cars from their second year onwards. First-year rates are based on CO₂ emissions and can reach £5,690 for the highest-emitting band. Cars that cost over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric) when new also pay an extra £440 a year for 5 years. Our free check shows the exact tax status and due date for a specific vehicle.
What happens if I drive without road tax?
DVLA uses ANPR cameras to automatically detect untaxed vehicles and can issue an £80 fixed penalty (reduced to £40 if paid within 28 days). If you're stopped while driving, police can issue an out-of-court settlement instead, and unpaid cases can reach the magistrates' court with fines of up to £1,000 or 5 times the annual tax rate, whichever is greater.
Does road tax transfer to the new owner when I buy a used car?
No. Since October 2014, vehicle tax hasn't transferred between owners — the seller gets an automatic DVLA refund for any full months remaining once they report the sale, and as the buyer you must tax the vehicle yourself before driving it, even if the previous owner's tax hadn't expired. This is easy to miss when buying privately, so it's worth checking a car's tax status before you complete the purchase.
Are electric cars exempt from road tax?
Not any more — this is a common misconception left over from before April 2025. Electric cars now pay a reduced first-year rate, then move to the same £200 standard rate as petrol and diesel cars. A separate pay-per-mile charge for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles is planned from April 2028.
Can I check if someone else's car is taxed, not just my own?
Yes. Vehicle tax status is public information in the UK, tied to the registration number rather than the owner, so you can check any vehicle's tax status — which is exactly why it's worth checking before buying a used car, not just for your own vehicle.