First Year Road Tax Calculator (Showroom VED Rates)

Type the car's official CO2 figure and fuel type to see the first-year car tax (VED) for a new car, using the rates in force from 1 April 2026.

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The first year road tax calculator works out the first payment of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) on a new car first registered on or after 1 April 2017. That first payment depends on the official CO2 figure and the fuel, and it is usually included in a new car’s on-the-road price. Type the CO2 in g/km and pick the fuel; the result shows the 12-month first-year rate, the CO2 band, and what the car pays from the second year.

Rates as of 3 November 2026: the table in force from 1 April 2026, from the GOV.UK vehicle tax rate tables. Rates usually change every 1 April.

First year road tax calculator example

How to use the first year road tax calculator

  1. Find the official CO2 figure (g/km) in the brochure, the price list or box V.7 of the V5C.
  2. Choose the fuel. For a diesel, pick whether it meets the RDE2 standard (Euro 6d); ask the manufacturer if you are not sure.
  3. Read the first-year rate and the CO2 band. Open “Full first-year rate table” to compare bands.
  4. Plan the second year: the standard rate applies from the second tax payment, plus the expensive car supplement if the list price is over the threshold.

The tool needs only the CO2 figure and the fuel. If you are unsure which diesel option applies, the table in the explain section below shows both diesel columns for every band. The first-year rate is read from the band that the CO2 figure falls in, so a figure on the border of two bands matters: 150 g/km is in the 131–150 band, and 151 g/km is in the next one up.

Worked examples: a petrol car at 145 g/km falls in the 131–150 g/km band, so the first year costs £560, and then the standard rate of £200 a year applies. A diesel at 110 g/km that meets RDE2 pays £405 in the first year. The same 110 g/km diesel that does not meet RDE2 pays £455, which is £50 more.

First-year VED rates from 1 April 2026

CO2 (g/km)Petrol, RDE2 diesel, alternative fuel, electricOther diesel
0£10£10
1–50£115£135
51–75£135£280
76–90£280£365
91–100£365£405
101–110£405£455
111–130£455£560
131–150£560£1,410
151–170£1,410£2,270
171–190£2,270£3,420
191–225£3,420£4,850
226–255£4,850£5,690
Over 255£5,690£5,690

Since 1 April 2025 electric cars pay VED too: £10 in the first year, then the standard rate.

After the first year

From the second tax payment, cars registered since 1 April 2017 pay the standard rate: £200 for a single 12-month payment (2026/27). If the list price was over £40,000 (over £50,000 for a zero-emission car), the expensive car supplement of £440 a year is added for five years, from the second time the car is taxed.

What else is in the on-the-road price

A new car’s on-the-road price normally includes the first-year VED and the £55 DVLA first registration fee, plus the dealer’s delivery charge and number plates.

How the CO2 band is read

The table above follows the GOV.UK vehicle tax rate tables in force from 1 April 2026. The calculator reads the band from the CO2 figure you type and rounds it to whole g/km, because V5C and certificate figures are whole numbers. A figure above 1,000 g/km is refused, so the tool asks you to check the number.

Why a diesel that misses RDE2 costs more

A diesel that does not meet RDE2 is charged from the “other diesel” column, which is higher than the petrol column in most bands. At 145 g/km that is £1,410 in the first year against £560 for a petrol car at the same figure, a difference of £850. A diesel that meets RDE2 is charged from the petrol column, so the choice of diesel option changes the result.

Example

A petrol car with 145 g/km pays £560 in the first year (131–150 g/km band), then £200 a year. The same CO2 on a diesel that does not meet RDE2 pays £1,410 in the first year.

Common mistakes

  • Typing a fuel economy figure in mpg instead of the official CO2 figure in g/km. The figure is on the brochure, the price list and box V.7 of the V5C.
  • Choosing “Diesel that meets RDE2” without checking. Ask the manufacturer if you are not sure, because the difference is large.
  • Reading the first-year rate as a yearly figure. It covers the first 12 months only.

What the tool does not do

The tool does not look up a car or its CO2 figure. It works from the figure and fuel you type. The amount it shows is the first-year tax only: the £55 registration fee is mentioned but not added, and delivery charges are not included.

Frequently asked questions

How much is first-year road tax on a new car?

From 1 April 2026 it ranges from £10 (0 g/km, including electric cars) to £5,690 (over 255 g/km), depending on CO2 and fuel.

Is the first-year rate paid every year?

No. It covers the first 12 months only. After that the standard rate applies (£200 a year in 2026/27), plus £440 a year for five years if the expensive car supplement applies.

Why does a diesel cost more than a petrol at the same CO2?

In the 2026/27 table a diesel that does not meet RDE2 is charged from the other diesel column, which is higher than the petrol column in most bands. At 145 g/km the first year costs £1,410 for that diesel against £560 for a petrol car. A diesel that meets RDE2 uses the petrol column.

Do electric cars pay first-year road tax?

Yes, since 1 April 2025: £10 in the first year, then the standard rate.

Do hybrids pay less?

Hybrids pay the rate for their CO2 band in the petrol column. The old £10 alternative fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025.

Can I get a refund if I sell the car?

Vehicle tax does not pass to the new keeper. When DVLA is told about the sale you get an automatic refund for any full calendar months left.

Sources (checked 3 November 2026): GOV.UK vehicle tax rate tables; HonestJohn: VED increases April 2026.

See all Road Tax and Vehicle Tax Tools.