GET £500 FREE EXCESS PROTECTION WHEN YOU BUY ONLINE!*

Van road tax calculator

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), which is more commonly known as road tax, is currently fairly straightforward for vans.

Most vans are taxed at a flat annual rate (currently at £360 for the 2026/27 tax year), rather than a sliding scale based on emissions like there is for cars. VED must be paid for any vehicle used on public roads in the UK, and the money goes into the UK Government's Consolidated Fund where almost all tax receipts end up!

Since 2014, paper tax discs are no longer required, as all records are stored digitally.

What happens if you don't pay your van's road tax (VED)?

All vans must have a valid MOT certificate if older than three years in order for VED to be paid when it's due. If your van doesn't have an MOT and is more than three years old, you must declare it as off the road with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) and ensure the vehicle is kept off public roads and not driven until the point that it once again has a valid MOT and VED has been paid.

If you fail to tax your vehicle and don't have a SORN in place, you may receive a penalty from the DVLA (Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency), typically starting at around £80. You could also be fined separately for not having an adequately insured van.

It's also worth knowing that electric vans are no longer exempt from VED. Since April 2025, they are taxed in line with standard van rates.

How is van road tax different to car tax?

Car tax (VED) is more complex than van tax.

Cars that were registered prior to 1 April 2017 have their VED based on CO2 emissions, which is why there are multiple bands. For cars registered after this date, the amount you pay depends upon your cars emissions in first year, followed by a flat rate in the following years.

Since April 2025, this system also applies to electric cars, which are no longer exempt from VED.

Van tax by comparison is much simpler! Most vans are taxed at a flat annual rate, regardless of emissions provided they are classified as 'light goods vehicles' (weighing up to 3,500kg).

For vans registered before March 2001, tax may be based on engine size, although the number of such vans on UK roads today is a tiny proportion of the total.

Calculating your van's road tax rate

VED for vans depends on how the vehicle is classified by the DVLA, which you can find in your V5C logbook.

Most vans are classed as light goods vehicles and taxed at a flat annual rate, but some older vehicles are taxed differently depending on their engine size.

The table below should help you to calculate how much you will need to pay for your van's VED:

For vans registered before 1st March 2001
Engine Size	Annual VED due
Not over 1,549cc	£230
Over 1,549cc	£375

For vans registered after 1st March 2001
Type of van	Annual VED due
Euro 4 & Euro 5 compliant vans	£140
Most vans up to 3,500kg	£360
Electric Vans*	£360

*Electric van were previously exempt from VED, but since April 2025 they are taxed at the standard rate. Data source: www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables

If you'd prefer not to pay annually for your VED, you can set up a Direct Debit with the DVLA to spread the cost of your van tax. You can choose to pay monthly or every six months as an alternative to paying in one lump sum.

You will end up paying slightly more for your van's VED by choosing this option, but it can be a better fit for some van drivers rather than paying for 12 months all in one go.

How to tax your van

You can tax your van online through the DVLA as long as you have one of the following:

Your V11 reminder letter (sent before your current tax expires)
Your V5C log book
The V5C/2 new keeper slip (if you've recently bought the vehicle)

If you don't have these documents, you'll need to apply for a replacement V5C. In this case, you can usually still tax your van at a Post Office that deals with vehicle tax.

For the most up-to-date information on vehicle tax rates, head to gov.uk .