How to use a car tax calculator

The owners of vehicles in the UK must pay a tax for using the UK public roads. The tax is called the Vehicle Excise Duty or the VED. Read this article to learn more about a car tax calculator and how to use it.

Find an Online UK tax rate calculator

The car taxation is calculated in two ways. For cars which were registered before March 1st 2001, it is calculated and related only to the engine sizes, smaller and greater than 1549cc. After that date, the car tax rate calculation depends on the CO2 emissions and on the fuel type. You can calculate yourself this tax using any online vehicle excise duty calculator. Sometimes the calculator called emissions calculator or CO2 calculator. Some call it fuel tax calculator or simply fuel calculator. Steps So, firstly choose one of the calculators online that work for cars registered both before and after the 1st of March 2001. Do not use tax calculators that ask you to scroll through a tax chart or a tax table.

Select the car type

The first step in using an online calculator is to select the car type from the drop-down box in the first row. The car type is really your car make. So if you have a BMW, choose BMW and if you have an Alfa Romeo, choose Alfa Romeo.

Establish the car model

Find your car model among all the models produced by your car’s manufacturer. Each model has a name such as A2 or A6 in Audi. Car emission is different depending on the model.

Select the car chassis and years of production

Each model can be produced as Saloon, Hatchback, All Road, Sports back, Cabriolet, Avant, Coupe, Roadster, Convertible, Sport or Racing. Each model has different versions which were produced for a certain period of time. Therefore, choose for example A4 Saloon produced between 2005 and 2007. Pick the right car model, chassis and year of production from the drop down box in the second row.

Select the car engine and trim

Each tax calculator returns engine emissions results depending on the type of the car fuel, the capacity of the engine and the trim. Choose from the drop-down box the exact features of your car from the third row drop box.

Calculate the VED

Press the button that says “Calculate” and the car calculator will return the car tax rates you are interested in.