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Car tax

Motorhome tax rates for 2026/27

UK motorhome tax depends on revenue weight and engine size under DVLA's 2026/27 rates, with private HGV motorhomes paying £177 a year. Lighter motorhomes normally use the private or light goods engine bands, while qualifying M1SP vehicles use the passenger vehicle system.
£230
Up to 1549cc and no more than 3,500kg
GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates: motorhomes (as of 7 September 2026)
£177
Private HGV motorhome over 3,500kg
DVLA, V149/1 rates of vehicle tax from 1 July 2026 (as of 1 July 2026)

Checked on 10 September 2026.GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates: motorhomes (as of 7 September 2026)

How is motorhome tax decided?

Revenue weight on the V5C is the first split. A motorhome no more than 3,500kg normally uses private or light goods tax class 11 and one of the two engine bands, with the boundary at 1549cc. A motorhome over 3,500kg normally uses private HGV tax class 10. The current annual private HGV figure is lower than either light goods engine band, which surprises people who assume heavier always costs more.

The V5C record decides the class used by DVLA. Revenue weight and engine size need to match that record. A conversion still recorded as a van pays van tax. A vehicle recorded as a motorhome pays one of the rows below. Ask DVLA to correct the record rather than picking a cheaper row on the website.

Motorhome vehicle tax rates in force during 2026/27
Class12 months12 months by Direct Debit12 monthly instalments6 months6 months by Direct Debit
Private or light goods, not over 1549ccMotorhome no more than 3,500kg revenue weight, tax class 11£230£230£242£127£121
Private or light goods, over 1549ccMotorhome no more than 3,500kg revenue weight, tax class 11£375£375£394£206£197
Private heavy goodsMotorhome over 3,500kg revenue weight, tax class 10£177£177£186£97£93
M1SP with a recorded CO2 figureRegistered from 1 April 2017 to 11 March 2020 and CO2 shown on its type approval certificate£200£200£210£110£105
GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates: motorhomes (as of 7 September 2026); DVLA, V149 rates of vehicle tax from 1 April 2026 (as of 1 April 2026); DVLA, V149/1 rates of vehicle tax from 1 July 2026 (as of 1 July 2026)

What is the M1SP motorhome rule?

A motorhome registered from 1 April 2017 to 11 March 2020 uses the passenger vehicle system if it is in category M1SP and its CO2 figure is on the type approval certificate. The current standard annual rate for that row is £200, matching the car standard rate of £200 in 2026/27. Monthly Direct Debit on that row totals £210.00. A six month licence is £110.00.

The window is closed at both ends. Registered before 1 April 2017, or from 12 March 2020, and the ordinary motorhome rows apply. Missing CO2 on the type approval certificate also drops it out of M1SP. This is a passenger standard rate, not the lettered CO2 bands used by cars first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017.

GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates: motorhomes (as of 7 September 2026); DVLA, V149 rates of vehicle tax from 1 April 2026 (as of 1 April 2026); 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)

How and where do I tax a motorhome?

Tax it as the current keeper with the 11 digit V5C reference, or as a new keeper with the 12 digit green slip. Online at the GOV.UK vehicle tax service is the usual route and the only place to set up Direct Debit. Phone 0300 123 4321 accepts a V5C or a new keeper slip but cannot set Direct Debit up. A participating Post Office accepts a V5C, a green slip, or a V62 from the current keeper, and may ask for MOT evidence.

Northern Ireland Post Office applications also need the published insurance certificate and MOT or test exemption certificate. Tax does not transfer on sale. A historic motorhome still completes the tax process at the nil rate once that class is granted at a Post Office. Changing into the disabled tax class is also done only at a Post Office. A fresh MOT can take up to two days to reach the tax service.

  1. Read the tax class, revenue weight, engine size and body type on the V5C. Those decide the row.
  2. Check whether the vehicle is M1SP with CO2 on the type approval certificate and a first registration from 1 April 2017 to 11 March 2020.
  3. Have the 11 digit V5C reference, the 12 digit green slip, or a V11 reminder ready.
  4. Wait for a fresh MOT record if one is due. It can take up to two days to reach the tax service.
  5. Apply online, by phone on 0300 123 4321, or at a participating Post Office. Set up Direct Debit only on the website.
GOV.UK, Tax your vehicle (as of 10 September 2026); GOV.UK, Pay your vehicle tax by Direct Debit (as of 10 September 2026); GOV.UK, Vehicles exempt from vehicle tax (as of 10 September 2026)

Can I pay motorhome tax by Direct Debit?

Yes, online. A single annual Direct Debit matches the twelve month figure. Monthly instalments add 5 per cent. A six month licence is priced above half the annual rate. The surcharge is not refunded if you later cancel the tax. Phone cannot set Direct Debit up.

Motorhome annual and monthly Direct Debit in 2026/27
Row12 months12 monthly instalments
Private or light goods, not over 1549cc£230£241.50
Private or light goods, over 1549cc£375£393.75
Private heavy goods, over 3,500kg£177£185.85
M1SP with a recorded CO2 figure£200£210.00

Annual Direct Debit matches the 12 month column. Monthly totals include the published 5 per cent surcharge. Figures from GOV.UK motorhome rates and DVLA V149 and V149/1.

GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates: motorhomes (as of 7 September 2026); DVLA, V149 rates of vehicle tax from 1 April 2026 (as of 1 April 2026); DVLA, V149/1 rates of vehicle tax from 1 July 2026 (as of 1 July 2026); GOV.UK, Pay your vehicle tax by Direct Debit (as of 10 September 2026)

What if this were a car instead of a motorhome?

Most motorhomes do not use the car bands. An M1SP vehicle in the 2017 to 2020 window is the exception, because it pays the passenger standard rate. The three car examples below use the 2026/27 car tables so you can compare a car of the same year with the motorhome rows.

Example

A 2015 diesel car at 125 g/km

First registered
2015
Fuel
Diesel
CO2
125 g/km
  1. As a car, 2015 sits in the lettered CO2 bands. It is also before the M1SP window that opens on 1 April 2017.
  2. 125 g/km is band D, 121 to 130 g/km.
  3. Band D is £170 for twelve months. A light motorhome of the same year uses engine size instead.

The car pays £170. A motorhome no more than 3,500kg pays £230 or £375 by engine size.

Example

A 2018 car with a £48,000 list price, beside M1SP

First registered
2018
Original list price
£48,000
M1SP window
1 April 2017 to 11 March 2020
  1. As a car from April 2017, the standard rate is £200 from the second licence.
  2. List price over £40,000 adds the £440 supplement for 5 years.
  3. A qualifying M1SP motorhome of the same year pays the passenger standard rate of £200 and does not use the expensive car supplement row in the motorhome table.

The car's second licence is the two published figures added, £640. The M1SP motorhome row is £200. 2018 sits inside the M1SP dates; the type approval certificate still has to show CO2.

Example

A 1999 vehicle at 1,549 cc

First registered
1999
Engine size
1,549 cc
If a motorhome
No more than 3,500kg uses the same engine band
  1. 1999 is before 1 March 2001, so a car uses the private and light goods engine bands.
  2. A motorhome at or under 3,500kg uses those same two engine bands in tax class 11.
  3. 1,549 cc is not over 1549cc, so the lower band is £230, matching £230.

Pay £230 as a 1999 car or as a light motorhome at 1,549 cc. Over 3,500kg the private HGV motorhome row is £177 instead.

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); GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates: motorhomes (as of 7 September 2026); DVLA, V149 rates of vehicle tax from 1 April 2026 (as of 1 April 2026); DVLA, V149/1 rates of vehicle tax from 1 July 2026 (as of 1 July 2026)

What if the V5C weight or tax class is wrong?

Ask DVLA to correct the vehicle record. The tax service charges the class it holds, not the class you think should apply after a conversion. A van converted to a motorhome can stay in light goods until the body type and tax class are updated. A motorhome recorded over 3,500kg when the plated weight is lower, or the other way around, will sit in the wrong row until the record matches the plate.

Historic motorhomes follow the rolling 40 year tax rule, claimed at a Post Office, and still tax at nil once granted. MOT exemption is a separate test. Hire, reward and commercial use can keep a vehicle out of the historic class. Zero emission heavy goods vehicles over 3,500kg remain on the GOV.UK exempt list; a light electric motorhome at or under 3,500kg pays the published motorhome row.

GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates: motorhomes (as of 7 September 2026); GOV.UK, Tax your vehicle (as of 10 September 2026); GOV.UK, Vehicles exempt from vehicle tax (as of 10 September 2026)

How do refunds and SORN work for a motorhome?

Sell, scrap, export or make a SORN and DVLA refunds any full months left. A cheque goes to the name and address on the V5C. You do not get the Direct Debit surcharge back, or the extra on a six month licence, or any card fee. Contact DVLA if the cheque has not arrived after 8 weeks. Stolen vehicles need a separate refund application.

A SORN motorhome must be kept off the public road. The MOT journey exception is the only legal movement. Taking it off SORN means taxing it. A previous keeper's SORN ends on the sale. If you leave it with no tax and no SORN, the late licensing penalty is £80, or £40 within 33 days, issued from the register.

GOV.UK, Cancel your vehicle tax and get a refund (as of 10 September 2026); GOV.UK, Register your vehicle as off the road (SORN) (as of 10 September 2026); GOV.UK, When you need to make a SORN (as of 10 September 2026); DVLA, DVLA enforcement of vehicle tax, registration and insurance offences (as of 15 July 2026)

What goes wrong with motorhome tax?

  • Assuming heavier always costs more. Private HGV over 3,500kg is currently cheaper than either light goods engine band.
  • Treating every 2018 motorhome as M1SP. The category, the CO2 on the type approval certificate, and the 1 April 2017 to 11 March 2020 window all have to match.
  • Paying car first year rates on a new motorhome that is not in the passenger system. Most motorhomes use weight and engine size.
  • Driving away on the seller's remaining tax. Tax does not transfer. Use the green slip, or make a SORN.
  • Trying to set up Direct Debit by phone. Use the website. Phone is 0300 123 4321.
  • Leaving a motorhome on a seasonal pitch with no tax and no SORN. The late licensing penalty does not need a roadside sighting.
GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates: motorhomes (as of 7 September 2026); GOV.UK, Tax your vehicle (as of 10 September 2026); DVLA, DVLA enforcement of vehicle tax, registration and insurance offences (as of 15 July 2026)

Common motorhome tax myths

  • Motorhome tax is always the car standard rate. Only qualifying M1SP vehicles in that short window pay the passenger standard rate.
  • A conversion is taxed as a motorhome the day the beds go in. The V5C class is what DVLA charges until the record is updated.
  • Monthly Direct Debit costs the same as paying annually. It is 5 per cent more, and that surcharge is not refunded.
  • A SORN made by the seller covers the buyer. It ends on the sale.
  • Historic appearance means historic tax. The rolling 40 year rule is claimed at a Post Office, and some uses are excluded.
GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates: motorhomes (as of 7 September 2026); GOV.UK, Pay your vehicle tax by Direct Debit (as of 10 September 2026); GOV.UK, When you need to make a SORN (as of 10 September 2026); GOV.UK, Vehicles exempt from vehicle tax (as of 10 September 2026)

Common questions

How much is motorhome tax in 2026/27?
At no more than 3,500kg, the annual rate is £230 for an engine no larger than 1549cc and £375 above that size. A private HGV motorhome over 3,500kg is £177 for 12 months. A qualifying M1SP motorhome registered from 1 April 2017 to 11 March 2020, with CO2 on its type approval certificate, uses the passenger vehicle standard rate of £200. Revenue weight on the V5C is the line between the light and heavy rows.
Does motorhome tax use revenue weight?
Yes. Revenue weight, also called maximum or gross vehicle weight, separates private or light goods motorhomes at no more than 3,500kg from private HGV motorhomes over that line. The lighter group then splits by engine size at 1549cc. The heavier group uses private HGV tax class 10, currently £177 a year, which is lower than either light goods engine band. If the weight on the V5C is wrong, ask DVLA to correct the vehicle record rather than choosing a cheaper row yourself.
What is the M1SP motorhome rule?
A motorhome registered from 1 April 2017 to 11 March 2020 uses the passenger vehicle system if it is in category M1SP and its CO2 figure is on the type approval certificate. Its current standard annual rate is £200, matching the car standard rate of £200. The window is closed at both ends: registered before 1 April 2017, or from 12 March 2020, and the ordinary motorhome rows apply instead. CO2 has to be on the type approval certificate, not guessed from a brochure.
Where can I find the motorhome tax class?
Check the V5C registration certificate. If the revenue weight, body type or tax class is wrong, ask DVLA to correct the vehicle record rather than choosing a cheaper row yourself. The tax service uses the class on the record. A converted van that is still recorded as light goods pays van tax. A conversion recorded as a motorhome pays one of the motorhome rows. Changing into the disabled tax class is done only at a Post Office, not through the website or the phone line.
Can I pay motorhome tax by Direct Debit?
Yes, on the GOV.UK vehicle tax service. A single annual Direct Debit costs the same as paying twelve months in one go. Monthly instalments and a six month Direct Debit add 5 per cent. On the private HGV row, twelve monthly instalments total £185.85 rather than £177. Phone on 0300 123 4321 can tax the motorhome using the V5C or a new keeper slip, but it cannot set Direct Debit up. The surcharge is not refunded if you later cancel the tax.
Does motorhome tax transfer when I buy it?
No. Tax does not transfer on sale. The seller's licence ends when the keeper changes, and DVLA refunds any full months left by cheque to the V5C address. Tax it in your name using the 12 digit green slip before you drive it, or make a SORN if it will stay off the public road. A current keeper uses the 11 digit V5C reference. Without the green slip a new keeper applies by post on form V62, usually £25, and cannot use the previous keeper's tax in the meantime.
How do refunds and SORN work on a motorhome?
Sell, scrap, export or make a SORN and DVLA refunds any full months left. You do not get the 5 per cent Direct Debit surcharge back, or the extra on a six month licence, or any card fee. Contact DVLA if the cheque has not arrived after 8 weeks. A SORN motorhome must be kept off the public road. The only legal movement is to or from a pre booked MOT or other testing appointment. Using it on a road for any other reason risks a court fine of up to £2,500 or five times the tax.
What happens if a motorhome is left untaxed?
DVLA issues a late licensing penalty automatically when there is no tax and no SORN. That penalty is £80, reduced to £40 if you pay within 33 days. The motorhome does not have to have been seen on a road. If it is then used or kept on a public road, an out of court settlement of £30 plus one and a half times the outstanding tax can follow, or a court penalty of £1,000 or five times the tax. A SORN motorhome used on a road other than for a booked test faces a court maximum of £2,500 or five times the tax. Tax it or declare it off the road as soon as you notice the gap.

Sources

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