Do electric cars pay road tax in the UK?

Yes — from 1 April 2025, all newly registered pure electric vehicles pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time. EVs registered between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2025 also now pay the standard annual rate. EVs registered before April 2017 pay based on their CO2 band — zero-emission vehicles in Band A paid nothing and are now assessed individually.

How much road tax do electric cars pay from 2025?

New EVs registered from 1 April 2025: a £10 first-year rate, then the standard flat rate from year two (currently £195 per year). EVs registered between April 2017 and March 2025 pay the standard flat rate from 1 April 2025. Luxury cars (list price over £40,000) also pay the additional rate supplement in years 2–6 (currently £620/year on top of standard rate).

Does the £40,000 luxury car supplement apply to EVs?

Yes. EVs with a list price exceeding £40,000 are subject to the additional rate supplement — currently £620 per year — on top of the standard rate, for years 2–6 of registration. This was previously waived for EVs but is now applied from April 2025. Many popular EVs (Tesla Model 3, Model Y, BMW iX, Audi Q4 e-tron) exceed this threshold.

How do I check if my EV's road tax is current?

Use the DVLA vehicle enquiry service or MotR's free vehicle check. Enter the registration number to see current tax status (taxed, untaxed, or SORN), the tax due date, and the vehicle's details. EVs registered before April 2025 that were previously exempt may now need to be taxed for the first time.

Can I SORN an electric car?

Yes. SORN rules apply to EVs exactly as they do to petrol cars. If you are keeping an EV off public roads — in storage, for restoration, or while not in use — you can declare SORN for free via GOV.UK. A SORNed EV does not require tax. The same rules about not parking on public roads while SORNed apply.

Will electric car road tax rates change in future years?

VED rates are set annually in the Budget and can change each year. The current policy direction is to bring EVs gradually into the same VED system as other vehicles, ending the zero-rate era. For current and future rates, check the GOV.UK vehicle tax rates page. MotR provides free tax status checks reflecting current DVLA records.

MotR

EV Road Tax · VED 2025

Electric Car Road Tax

From April 2025, electric cars pay VED for the first time. The zero-rate era has ended. Here is what EVs now pay, who is affected, and the luxury car supplement that catches many popular models.

DVSA DataDVLA RecordsFree · No SignupUpdated 2026

Check Tax Status Free

Updated 13 June 2026·4 min read·Reviewed by Ste Robinson, MotR

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Quick Answer

From 1 April 2025, all EVs pay VED. New registrations: £10 first year, then £195/year standard rate. EVs registered April 2017–March 2025: now pay £195/year. Luxury supplement (£620/year, years 2–6) applies to EVs with list price over £40,000 — covering many popular models. Check EV tax status free via MotR or DVLA.

EV VED Rates from April 2025

EV registration period	First year rate	Standard rate (yr 2+)	Luxury supplement (if >£40k)
Registered from 1 April 2025	£10	£195/yr	+£620/yr (years 2–6)
Registered April 2017 – March 2025	N/A (already registered)	£195/yr	+£620/yr (years 2–6)
Registered before April 2017 (Band A)	N/A	£0 (Band A, 0g/km CO2)	N/A

Rates correct at time of writing. VED rates are subject to annual Budget changes. Always verify current rates at GOV.UK.

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Ste Robinson

Founder, MotR · Last reviewed 13 June 2026

Ste Robinson is the founder of MotR, helping UK drivers check MOT history, tax status, vehicle records and ownership information using official DVLA and DVSA data.

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