Car tax check

A car tax check tells you whether a vehicle is taxed, untaxed or declared off the road (SORN), and when its tax is due. It's free and comes straight from the DVLA record.

What the car tax check shows

• Tax status: taxed, untaxed or SORN.
• Tax due date: when the current tax runs out.
• CO2 emissions: which affects how much tax is paid on many cars.
• Fuel type and engine size.
• MOT status alongside, because most cars need a valid MOT to be taxed.

Tax doesn't transfer when you buy a car

This catches a lot of people out. Since October 2014, vehicle tax doesn't pass from the seller to the buyer. When a car is sold, the seller's tax is cancelled and they get a refund for any full months left. So even if the check says the car is taxed today, you need to tax it yourself before you drive it away.

You can do it online or by phone using the reference number on the new keeper slip (V5C/2) from the logbook. It's quick, and it's valid immediately.

What the statuses mean

Taxed. The current keeper has paid, and the car can be used on the road (as long as it has an MOT and insurance).

Untaxed. The tax has expired and nobody has declared the car off the road. It can't be driven or even parked on a public road, and the keeper can be fined.

SORN. Statutory Off Road Notification. The keeper has told the DVLA the car is off the road, usually in a garage or on a driveway. It can't be driven except to a pre-booked MOT.

Why the tax status matters when you're buying

A car that's been SORN or untaxed for a long time may have been sitting unused, which can mean flat batteries, seized brakes and perished tyres. Check the MOT history to see how long it's been off the road. If it's untaxed and has no MOT, plan how you'll get it home legally: you can only drive it to a pre-booked MOT, so you may need a trailer or transporter.

How much is car tax?

It depends on when the car was first registered. For most cars registered from April 2017, you pay a first-year rate based on CO2 emissions, then a flat standard rate each year after that, with an extra charge for cars that cost over £40,000 new. Older cars are taxed on CO2 bands or engine size. Since April 2025, electric cars pay vehicle tax too. The GOV.UK website has the current rates.

Check tax, MOT and more in one go

Our free car check shows the tax status on the same page as the MOT history, mileage readings and vehicle details. If you're driving into London or another clean air zone, the ULEZ check is worth a look as well.