Car tax status is free to check from the DVLA. Here is the cheapest and fastest way to confirm whether a car is taxed, how much it costs, and what happens if you buy an untaxed vehicle.
| Service | Price | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| DVLA vehicle enquiry | Free | Tax status, MOT status, make, year, colour |
| CarCostCheck free | Free | Tax status + annual cost + full MOT analysis + running costs + reliability score |
| Paid car check services | £14.99-£19.99 | Tax status (plus other history data) |
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Key takeaway: Car tax checks are always free. The DVLA's own service shows the current tax status, and CarCostCheck shows the tax status with a cost estimate in seconds. Any service charging for a tax check is selling what the government gives away. Use CarCostCheck for the combined report: tax plus MOT plus running costs in one place.
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A car tax check returns three things:
The underlying data comes from the DVLA. The DVLA's own service is the most up-to-date source. CarCostCheck's report uses DVLA data refreshed at least once a week, so if a car was taxed in the last few days, confirm it on GOV.UK.
The paid services do not offer anything extra on the tax check itself, they are charging for the other history data (stolen, finance, write-off). If all you want is tax, go free every time. The same goes for MOT history, mileage and recalls: our free car check guide lists what is free and what is not.
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Data from DVSA and DVLA. Used by thousands of UK car buyers.
The DVLA service tells you whether a car is taxed. That is it. CarCostCheck uses the same DVLA data but adds:
One lookup, ten seconds, no payment, no email.
UK vehicle tax works differently depending on when the car was first registered:
All of these bands are calculated automatically in the CarCostCheck free report based on the car's registration date and DVLA CO2 data.
Yes, and it always has been. Tax data is released by DVLA under the Open Government Licence and any service charging for it is reselling free data.
CarCostCheck returns results in under 10 seconds. The DVLA service is similar.
No, CarCostCheck only shows you the status and cost. To actually tax a vehicle, use the DVLA's own service with your V5C reference number.
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Related reading: Cheapest Car History Check Prices Compared | Cheapest MOT Check UK | Cheapest Cars to Tax 2026
Free. The DVLA's own service shows the current tax status, and CarCostCheck shows the tax status with the annual cost, using just the registration. Never pay for a car tax check; the data is free under the Open Government Licence.
Yes. The free CarCostCheck report includes the tax status, tax band, and annual tax cost alongside MOT history, mileage verification, and running cost estimates. No sign-up required.
The car cannot legally be driven on public roads or parked on them until you tax it in your own name. DVLA may have already applied penalties to the previous keeper. Always check tax status before buying and budget for taxing the car the day you take ownership.
It depends on CO2 emissions and first registration date. Cars registered from April 2017 pay £10 to £5,690 in year one (based on CO2), then the standard rate of £200 a year from year two, plus £440 a year for five years if the list price was over £40,000 (over £50,000 for an electric car registered from April 2025). Older cars follow a different band system. CarCostCheck shows the figure for any registration.
Explore Car Data by Make
Find your car's true running costs
Enter any reg plate for a free MOT history, mileage check, health score, and running costs. No signup needed.
Used by thousands of UK car buyers. Data from DVSA and DVLA.
Example report preview
2019 Ford Fiesta
1.0 EcoBoost, Petrol, Manual
82
Grade B
£1,860
per year
Pass
MOT status
42k
Mileage
This is what you'll see. Try it with YOUR car:
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