First year rate
Car tax at 256 g/km and above
The one off rate a car pays at first registration, and what it pays every year after that.
£5,690
£5,690
£200
Checked on 1 April 2026.DVLA, V149: rates of vehicle tax from 1 April 2026 (as of 1 April 2026)
What is the car tax on a car emitting 256 g/km and above?
£5,690 for the first twelve months, paid once at first registration, then £200 a year from the second licence onwards. A diesel without RDE2 certification pays £5,690 for that first year instead.
Rates in force from 1 April 2026. The expensive car supplement is added on top from the second licence where the list price was above the threshold, and it is the only thing that changes the standard rate.
This band against its neighbours
| CO2 emissions | Petrol | Diesel, not RDE2 | Alternative fuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 226 to 255 g/km | £4,850 | £5,690 | £4,850 |
| 256 g/km and above | £5,690 | £5,690 | £5,690 |
Common questions
- How much is the first year of car tax at 256 g/km and above?
- £5,690 for a petrol car or an RDE2 compliant diesel, £5,690 for a diesel that is not RDE2 compliant, and £5,690 for an alternative fuel car. It is paid once, at first registration.
- What does the same car pay after the first year?
- £200, the flat standard rate, plus the expensive car supplement if the list price was over the threshold. The CO2 figure stops mattering entirely from the second licence, which is why the first year is £5,490 more than every year after it.
- Why does a diesel pay a different figure?
- A diesel first registered after 1 April 2018 that is not certified to the RDE2 standard pays the first year rate of the band above its own. It applies to the first licence only, and only to diesels. RDE2 status is on the certificate of conformity.
- Where do I find whether my car emits 256 g/km and above?
- Section V.7 of the V5C registration certificate, and on the free DVLA vehicle enquiry service. Do not use a brochure figure: trim and wheel size move CO2, and one gram can push a car into the next band.
Sources
- DVLA, V149: rates of vehicle tax from 1 April 2026 (as of 1 April 2026)
- GOV.UK, Budget 2025 overview of tax legislation and rates, Annex A: rates and allowances (as of 1 April 2026)
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rate tables (as of 1 April 2026)
- GOV.UK, Increase in the Vehicle Excise Duty Expensive Car Supplement threshold for zero emission cars (as of 1 April 2026)
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax for electric, zero and low emission vehicles (as of 1 April 2026)
- GOV.UK, Pay your vehicle tax by Direct Debit (as of 1 April 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk, Finance Act 2025 section 66: rates of vehicle excise duty, omitting the reduced rate for alternative fuel vehicles (as of 1 April 2025)