How to Check How Much Car Tax You Need to Pay in 2025

What Exactly Is Car Tax?

Car tax—officially called Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) in the UK or Road Tax in many other countries—is a tax that vehicle owners must pay to legally use public roads.

It’s like paying your dues to keep the roads in good shape. Depending on where you live (UK, USA, India, etc.), this tax might go by a different name, and the rules might vary.

Why Knowing Your Car Tax Matters

Car tax isn’t just a once-a-year thing you can ignore until your renewal date pops up. Here’s why it matters:

• You can’t legally drive without it.
  
  
• Unpaid tax can lead to heavy fines or even seizure of your vehicle.
  
  
• Knowing your car tax helps in budgeting and car purchase decisions.
  
  
• Some vehicles have higher tax rates based on emissions or engine size.
  
  

How to Check How Much Car Tax You Owe

Let’s get to the good stuff. Here’s how you can check how much car tax you owe, depending on where you are:

In the United Kingdom

The UK has a super handy government tool for this.

🔗 Use the official GOV.UK checker: Check vehicle tax online

Here’s what you need:

• Your car’s registration number
  
  
• Internet access (obviously)
  
  

Once you enter your reg plate, you’ll see:

• Whether your car is taxed
  
  
• When the tax expires
  
  
• The amount due (based on CO2 emissions, fuel type, and vehicle age)
  
  

Want to calculate how much tax for a new car? Use the Vehicle tax rate tables to understand how much you’ll pay annually based on emissions.

Pro tip: Electric vehicles currently get a free pass—£0 in VED! But changes are coming in 2025, so keep an eye on that.

In the United States

The U.S. doesn’t have a national vehicle tax system like the UK. Instead, it’s managed at the state level.

Here’s how you can check:

• Visit your state DMV website
  
  
• Enter your license plate number or VIN
  
  
• Look up registration renewal fees, which include vehicle tax
  
  

🔗 Example: California DMV Vehicle Registration Fee Calculator

You’ll find different components like:

• Registration fee
  
  
• County/district use taxes
  
  
• Emissions compliance fees
  
  

In India

Car tax is also called Road Tax, and it’s collected by each state’s RTO (Regional Transport Office).

To check how much you owe:

• Visit your state’s RTO website
  
  
• Or use the Parivahan portal by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
  
  

🔗 Parivahan Vehicle Tax Services

Enter your vehicle number and you can:

• Check your current road tax status
  
  
• Pay any outstanding tax
  
  
• See due dates and penalties
  
  

The tax rate depends on:

• Vehicle type (private or commercial)
  
  
• Engine capacity (cc)
  
  
• Vehicle cost
  
  
• State-specific slabs
  
  

How Car Tax Is Calculated?

Let’s simplify this: