If you are identified by the DVLA as the registered keeper of an untaxed vehicle, you will receive a fine of £80, which may be reduced to £40 if paid within 33 days. While this may not seem that bad, you can also receive additional fines of £30 plus one and a half times the outstanding vehicle tax if you are caught driving on the road without tax or keeping an untaxed vehicle.
If you are unsure if your vehicle is taxed with the DVLA, or can’t remember when it expires, enter your reg into our FREE checker at the top of the page to receive instant results about your tax status.
You can also check your MOT status in our FREE MOT checker to ensure you have a valid certificate.
Car tax is a Government tax that must be paid to drive a vehicle on public roads. Proceeds from car tax go into a central government fund that is used for projects that benefit everyone – including road works and maintenance.
It’s easy to forget when your car’s tax is due now that we no longer use tax discs. By using our FREE tax check, you can find out how long you have left until you need to renew your tax and get the peace of mind you deserve.
You can also check the tax status of any other vehicle and see how much tax is left, the current tax status of the vehicle and how much a year’s road tax will cost you. This information is especially useful if you are looking to buy a used car as it can help you make a decision about whether a vehicle is right for you, or help you walk away from a deal that doesn’t seem right.
Your MOT and road tax may be due at slightly different times, so it’s important to regularly check or set a reminder for these important dates so you don’t forget.
Both your MOT and road tax will be due every 12 months, and you can pay for your road tax in one go, two 6-month instalments or through a Direct Debit monthly scheme if you qualify. If your car falls into one of the lower road tax bands, you may have to pay for 12 months upfront.
To find out when your tax is due, how much it will cost and your vehicle’s current tax status, enter your registration into our FREE checker at the top of the page.
To find out when your MOT is due and your vehicle’s current MOT status, enter your registration into our FREE MOT checker by following the link.
The easiest way to tax a car is through the UK Government website. You need the V5C or V11 reminder letter if you are the registered keeper or the V62 application for a registration certificate if you have just bought the vehicle.
You can also tax a car at certain Post Offices, over the phone or by post.
You can check if a car is taxed by entering the registration into our FREE checker at the top of this page. This pulls data directly from the DVSA database to instantly return an accurate result.
You can run this check for as many different vehicles as you like, and you don’t need to be the registered keeper to check whether a car is taxed or not.
No, you must have a valid MOT certificate to tax your vehicle. This can either be last year’s certificate (provided it is still in date on the day you want to tax your car) or this year’s (if your tax is due after your MOT).
You can only tax your car without an MOT if your vehicle is exempt or under 3 years old.
Yes, but only if you’re taking your car to a pre-booked MOT inspection. If you are stopped by police, you must be able to prove that the garage is expecting you or you may receive a significant fine and penalty points.
This is the only time you can drive on public roads without taxing your vehicle as you cannot book an MOT without valid road tax.
To tax your vehicle without a V5C or V11 reminder letter as the current keeper, you must apply for a replacement V5C and tax your vehicle at a Post Office. A new V5C costs £25.
If you are the new keeper of the vehicle and don’t yet have a V5C in your name, you can use a V62 application for a registration certificate to tax a car. The seller should have provided this as part of the new keeper slip.
There is no other way to tax your vehicle without a V5C or V11 reminder letter.
If you are looking to remove the SORN (Statutory Off-Road Notice) from a vehicle, you must ensure it is taxed, insured and has a valid MOT certificate before driving it on public roads. You cannot even park it on a public road under the terms of the SORN, and may only drive it to a pre-booked MOT test.
If you do not wish to remove the SORN from your vehicle, then you do not need to pay road tax for it.
A car can become tax and MOT exempt 40 years after it was first registered in the UK. These vehicles no longer legally require an MOT test, nor do they pay any road tax.
Some tractors, electric goods vehicles and most lorries, buses and trailers are exempt from a traditional MOT, but may still require an annual test to ensure they are in roadworthy condition.