Tax on Petrol Cars

What Tax Do You Pay On A Petrol Car?

A petrol car owner normally pays two kinds of tax: VED on the vehicle and tax within the fuel price. VED is paid to the DVLA by the registered keeper, while fuel duty and VAT are part of the pump price and are collected by HMRC.

Vehicle excise duty

This is the road tax you renew each period. It is required for any vehicle used or kept on a public road, unless it is exempt or declared off the road.

Fuel duty and VAT at the pump

These are not itemised on a receipt as a car tax. The government sets them, and they are built into the price of petrol.

Why no figure is quoted

Fuel duty and VED both change by government decision, so any quoted number goes out of date quickly. The reliable source is GOV.UK.

• Check the current fuel duty position on GOV.UK.
• Check the VED cost for your registration in the tax service.

How Much Tax Is On Petrol In The UK?

People who ask how much tax is on petrol uk are often thinking of fuel duty, which is part of what you pay at the pump. Because the rate changes by government decision, no figure is given here, and the current rate is on GOV.UK. For vehicle tax, the amount is shown when you tax the car.

• Fuel duty is a per-litre charge set by government.
• VAT applies to the fuel price as well.
• VED is separate and attaches to the vehicle.
• Company car tax is a different charge again, handled by HMRC.

Emissions and fuel type together

A petrol car with low CO2 may sit lower than a petrol car with high CO2 registered the same year, and a hybrid can differ again. The lookup shows the recorded CO2 and fuel type.

What Affects VED On A Petrol Car?

The duty on a petrol car depends on a handful of facts that sit on the vehicle record.

• The registration date, because different systems apply to cars registered at different times.
• The CO2 emissions figure for the car, where recorded.
• The fuel type, since petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric are treated in different ways.
• The list price, because an expensive car supplement can apply to some cars.
• The engine size for some older cars.

Registration date matters most

Cars registered after a change in the system around 2017 are usually treated differently from older cars. The exact boundary is published on GOV.UK.

Engine size for older cars

Older petrol cars registered before a certain date, in the early 2000s, are typically taxed by engine size rather than emissions. Check the vehicle's record for the registration date.

Why the class matters

A wrong class can lead to the wrong amount being shown or a refusal, so check it against the V5C.

Car Tax Class UK: What Class Is A Petrol Car?

The tax class for an ordinary petrol car is generally the private or light goods style class recorded by the DVLA, but the term car tax class uk can also refer to the older band system. The class matters because it decides which rates and rules apply, so always read the class shown on the V5C and the tax service.

Where to find the class

The class and tax details appear on the V5C and in the vehicle tax service. A free lookup shows the tax status, and GOV.UK shows what you need to pay.

Used cars and the standard rate

When you buy a used petrol car, you normally pay the standard rate rather than the first year rate, because the first year payment has already been made. Check the details in the tax service.

First Year Rate And Standard Rate

For newer cars the first tax payment is usually a first year rate that depends on CO2 emissions, followed by a standard rate in later years. Some higher list price cars also attract an expensive car supplement for a set period. The rates change, so use GOV.UK for current figures.

Why the first payment can differ

The first year rate is normally paid by the first keeper through the dealer or when the car is first registered. After that the standard rate usually applies when the next keeper renews.

Keeping a record of the payment

Save the confirmation and note the next due date, since a reminder may not arrive in time. See car tax reminders for ways to stay ahead.

VED Cost And How To Find It

The vehicle tax service shows the VED cost when you enter the registration and reference. There is no need to guess, and no price list is published here because the figures change.

1. Enter the registration into the free number plate check to see the tax status and CO2.
2. Open the GOV.UK vehicle tax service.
3. Enter the registration and the V5C reference.
4. Read the amount offered before you pay.

Paying in full versus monthly

• Paying in full avoids any instalment surcharge.
• Paying monthly spreads the cost but may add to the total.
• Either way the car must be taxed before use.

Car Tax Monthly: Can You Pay In Instalments?

Many keepers can pay by direct debit and spread the cost, though surcharges may apply compared with paying in one go. The options and terms change, so check them on GOV.UK. For payment mechanics, see how to pay road tax online.

Changing a direct debit

If your bank details change, tell the DVLA and see change the direct debit on car tax.

Fuel duty versus VED

Fuel duty is paid at the pump by everyone, while VED is paid by the keeper once per period. Comparing the two helps explain why petrol and diesel drivers can feel different tax effects.

Petrol Versus Diesel Tax

Diesel tax and petrol tax are not the same in every case, but the main difference sits in how some diesel cars are treated when first registered and how fuel duty is set by government. The vehicle record shows the fuel type, so the lookup is the safest guide.

Why diesel tax can differ

Some diesel cars face different first-year treatment depending on emissions testing standards. Look up the registration rather than assuming.

Why labels change

Government systems are updated, and a band letter that was meaningful years ago may have no effect on a car's current charge.

Car Tax Band B And Older Band Terms

You may still see references to a car tax band B or other letters in older listings. Those labels belong to the CO2 band system used for cars registered in a particular period, and they may not match what you pay today. Rely on the current DVLA record instead of band letters on an old advert.

Finding the registration date

The lookup shows the year of manufacture or first registration, and the plate itself gives a clue through the age identifier. Use the number plate year chart to decode it.

Petrol Cars Registered Before And After A Rule Change

Cars from different registration periods can pay by different rules even if they look identical. The age identifier on the plate, explained in how to read a UK number plate, hints at when the car was registered.

• Older petrol cars: often engine size based.
• Mid-period cars: CO2 band based.
• Newer cars: first year rate then standard rate.

Plug-in hybrids

A plug-in hybrid has both a battery and a petrol engine, and its treatment depends on the emissions recorded at registration and current rules.

Does A Petrol Hybrid Pay Petrol Tax?

A hybrid that burns petrol still pays vehicle tax, and its CO2 figure and registration date set the rate. A plug-in hybrid may have different treatment in some situations, so check GOV.UK rather than assume.

Petrol Cars And The Expensive Car Supplement

Cars with a higher list price may pay an extra charge in addition to the standard rate for a limited number of years. Read luxury vehicle tax and the expensive car supplement for how it works in general.

Employer and driver responsibilities

• The employer reports the benefit in kind to HMRC.
• The employee is taxed through the tax code.
• The VED on the vehicle is a separate duty.

Company Cars On Petrol

A petrol company car is taxed as a benefit in kind through HMRC, based on list price, CO2 and fuel type. The company car tax calculator explains the general idea. This is separate from the VED that the employer or driver pays on the vehicle.

Petrol Motorbikes And Vans

Motorbikes and vans follow their own classes, so the rule for a petrol car does not apply to them. See motorcycle road tax and commercial vehicle tax.

Classic Petrol Cars

Older vehicles may qualify for different treatment, including exemption for some historic vehicles. Read classic car tax for how that works and how it is claimed.

Zero And Low Tax Petrol Cars

A conventional petrol car is not normally in the zero rate group, but some very low emission vehicles have historically had low rates. See zero car tax cars and cheap road tax cars for the general picture.

What to do if the details look wrong

If the fuel type, CO2 or date on the record looks wrong, contact the DVLA through GOV.UK and use the V5C to support the correction.

How To Check What A Specific Petrol Car Pays

The fastest way is to look up the registration and read the vehicle details, then use GOV.UK for the amount.

• Check the registration date and fuel type.
• Check the CO2 emissions where recorded.
• Check the tax status and due date.
• Check the engine size for older cars.
• Confirm the figure when you tax.

Using the free lookup

The vehicle tax status lookup and the CO2 emissions checker show the details that drive the duty.

A short buyer's checklist

• Check the tax status and due date.
• Check the MOT history with the free MOT check.
• Ask for the V5C.

Buying A Petrol Car: What To Check

Before you buy, look at the tax status and what you will pay once the car is yours. Remember that tax does not transfer, so the seller's payment ends when the car changes hands, and the new keeper must tax it before driving. See does road tax transfer.

Refunds When You Sell A Petrol Car

You normally get a refund for full unused months when you sell, scrap or declare a car off the road. See car tax refund.

Pump price myths

The pump price is not a hidden road tax payment, and paying more for fuel does not cover VED. The two are separate.

Common Myths And Mistakes

• Myth: petrol cars are always cheaper to tax than diesel. It depends on the registration date and emissions.
• Myth: the pump price includes your road tax. It includes fuel duty and VAT, not VED.
• Mistake: assuming the old owner's tax carries over.
• Mistake: relying on old band letters.
• Mistake: forgetting to SORN a car left off the road.

Northern Ireland And Great Britain

The DVLA registers and taxes vehicles in Northern Ireland as well as Great Britain, so the VED system is shared. Testing differs, because the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) runs it in Northern Ireland.

Where The Official Source Is

GOV.UK publishes the current VED rates, the tax service and the fuel duty position. The DVLA and HMRC are the authorities. Check the latest figures there.

Frequently Asked Questions