Car tax check.
Taxed or SORN?
Type in a registration and see at once whether the car is taxed, when the tax runs out, or whether it has been declared off the road.
Enter the registration above for an instant car tax check. You will see whether the vehicle is currently taxed, the date its tax expires, or whether it is registered as SORN (off the road). It is free, takes seconds, and you can check any UK vehicle — yours or one you are thinking of buying.
The three results a car tax check can show
- Taxed — the vehicle is taxed until the expiry date shown. You can drive it on public roads (with valid MOT and insurance).
- SORN — the owner has declared the vehicle off the road. It must not be driven or kept on a public road until it is taxed again.
- Untaxed — there is no tax and no SORN in place. This is the risky one: the keeper can be fined automatically, and you should not drive the vehicle anywhere except under trade plates.
Why tax never transfers when you buy a car
Since 2014, vehicle tax does not transfer to a new owner. The moment a car is sold, its tax is cancelled and the seller is refunded any full remaining months. The buyer must tax the car in their own name before driving it away — even if the old tax disc period had months left. A tax check before you travel to view a car tells you whether you will need to tax it on the spot; a check after you buy confirms your own tax has registered.
What happens if a car is untaxed?
The DVLA runs continuous enforcement from its database — no one needs to spot the car. An untaxed vehicle kept or driven on the road first draws an automatic £80 penalty (halved if paid quickly), rising to £1,000 if it goes to court, and untaxed vehicles can be clamped or impounded. If the car is genuinely off the road, the keeper must declare SORN — a taxed-status problem is usually fixed fastest by simply taxing the vehicle online, which takes minutes.
How much will the tax be? (Quick guide)
For cars registered from 1 April 2017 the first year’s rate is based on CO₂ emissions, and from the second year a standard rate applies (£195 for most petrol and diesel cars in 2025-26). Cars with a list price over £40,000 pay an extra £425 a year for five years. Older cars follow the pre-2017 CO₂ bands (2001-2017) or engine-size bands (before 2001). The full picture — bands, alternative-fuel discounts and this year’s rates — is set out step by step on our check car tax page.
Checking the tax on a car you are selling
Sellers benefit from a check too. Your refund is automatic for full remaining months once the DVLA is told of the sale, so if a refund does not arrive, a tax check confirms whether the vehicle still shows as taxed in your name — a sign the keeper change has not been processed. Never let a buyer drive away assuming “the tax runs to the end of the month”: it legally ends at the sale, and their insurance may not cover an untaxed car.
Sample result — this is what your data looks like
One glance tells you the tax position, the due date and the MOT date side by side. (Sample data shown for illustration.)
Frequently asked questions
Is this car tax check free?
Yes. Checking a vehicle’s tax status on MOTBuddy is free, with no sign-up and no limit on the number of checks.
Can I drive a car home after buying it if it shows as taxed?
Not on the seller’s tax — tax ends at the moment of sale. You must tax it in your own name before driving it.
What does SORN mean in a check result?
SORN means the keeper has declared the vehicle off the road. It cannot be driven or parked on a public road until it is taxed again.
How quickly does new tax show up in a check?
Taxing online updates the DVLA record almost immediately, though the public view can take a short while to reflect it. If you have just taxed the vehicle and have your confirmation email, you are covered.
Does a tax check show how much the tax costs?
It shows the status and expiry. The cost depends on the car’s registration date, CO₂ emissions and list price — our tax pages explain the current bands and rates.
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