Vehicle checks

Free car tax check

See whether a vehicle is taxed, untaxed or SORN and when its tax runs out, straight from the DVLA record.

How do I check if a car is taxed?

Enter the registration and the free check reads the DVLA record. It shows whether the car is taxed, untaxed or declared off the road with a SORN. You also see the date the current tax runs out and the MOT status, because most vehicles need a valid MOT to be taxed.

Buying a car? The tax doesn’t come with it

Vehicle tax doesn’t pass to the new keeper. When the sale is reported to the DVLA, the seller’s tax is cancelled and the DVLA refunds any full months left to them. You then need to tax the car before you drive it away.

An advert that says "taxed until March" is describing the seller’s tax, not yours.

GOV.UK: If you buy or sell a vehicle

What a long SORN tells you

A car declared SORN can’t be used on the road until someone taxes it again. The DVLA record doesn’t say how long a car has been off the road, so ask the seller. The answer might be a long repair or a project that stalled, which you’d want to know before you travel to see it.

What to check on a SORN car

How to use the tax check

Enter the registration and read the tax status and due date.
If you’re buying, plan to tax the car in your name before you drive it.
If the car is SORN, ask the seller why and how long it has been off the road.
For your own car, note the due date and tax it through GOV.UK. We show the status but we can’t tax a car for you.

GOV.UK: Tax your vehicle Work out a car’s tax for the year Read the full MOT history

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is the car tax check free?

Yes. The tax status and due date are part of the free check. There’s no account to create and nothing to pay.

Can I tax my car here?

No. We read the tax status from the DVLA record. You tax a vehicle through the official service on GOV.UK.

What does SORN mean?

SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. The keeper has told the DVLA the vehicle is off the road, so it doesn’t need tax. Nobody can use it on the road until it’s taxed again.

Do I need an MOT to tax a car?

Usually. You need a valid MOT to tax most vehicles unless they’re exempt, so the check shows the MOT status next to the tax.

Why does a car I’ve just bought show as untaxed?

Tax doesn’t transfer with the car. Once the DVLA records the sale, the seller’s tax ends and you need to tax the car yourself before you drive it.

Guides

What to check when buying a used carA checklist in the order you’d use it: before you travel, at the viewing, before you pay.Buying a car

MOT checkMOT status and expiry, then every test since 2005 with failures, advisories and mileage.Free Reg checkLook up any number plate: make, model, colour, engine and status.Free Mileage checkThe odometer reading at every MOT, with any mileage that goes backwards.Free

Free car check

Check it before you go and see it

DVLA details, tax and MOT status, mileage and the full MOT history, free for any UK registration.