Vehicle tax status
Also known as: VED, road tax, car tax
Vehicle tax status is the current DVLA record of whether a UK vehicle has valid Vehicle Excise Duty (VED, commonly "road tax") in place — and if so, when it expires.
Vehicle Excise Duty is the annual UK tax payable on most vehicles using public roads. The DVLA records each vehicle's tax status and exposes it via the Vehicle Enquiry Service API.
A vehicle can be in one of three states: Taxed (VED paid and valid), SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — declared off the road, no tax due), or Untaxed (an active road vehicle with no valid VED, which is illegal).
When buying a used vehicle, check the tax status before driving the vehicle home — the new keeper must arrange their own tax from the date of purchase, even if the previous keeper's tax was still valid (vehicle tax does not transfer with the vehicle since 2014).
Related terms
- V5C logbookThe V5C is the official UK vehicle registration document issued by DVLA, showing the registered keeper, vehicle technical details and ownership history.
- MOT historyMOT history is the record of every annual MOT test a UK vehicle has had since 2005, including pass/fail status, mileage at each test, expiry dates, advisories and recorded defects.
- VRM (vehicle registration mark)A VRM (Vehicle Registration Mark) is the unique alphanumeric code displayed on a UK vehicle's number plate, used by DVLA, insurers and ANPR cameras to identify the vehicle.