Number plate checker can tell drivers if they must pay £150 car tax fee

Petrol, diesel, and electric car owners can find out in seconds whether they are affected by major 2025 car tax updates. New Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rates came into effect on April 1, 2025, with almost all road users hit with higher fees.

Those owning cars built between 2001 and 2017 will find their VED fees are determined by the amount of emissions their vehicle emits. The sliding scale of fees can make it impossible to keep on top of with road users likely left baffled by how much they are paying and whether fees have increased. Online number plate checkers provide road users with a range of details including the track stays of their vehicles.

Simply searching for a registration number through WeBuyAnyCar's online tool can bring up all the relevant tax information in seconds.

Road users can quickly find how much emission their vehicle emits and then look up the corresponding fee through GOV.UK.

WeBuyAnyCar said: “Your car’s tax band and annual tax rate will depend on a variety of factors such as when it was first registered and its CO2 emission levels (or in some cases, its engine size).”

Standard VED fees for vehicles built after 2017 increased from £190 to £195 from April 1.

Models built between 2001 and 2017 saw annual bills slightly increase with the most polluting vehicles up from £735 to £760 per year.

Meanwhile, first-year VED rates doubled with some brand new owners now forced to pay up to £5,490 to use the roads.

AA spokesperson Jack Cousens claimed motorists would likely see around a £150 price hike as a result of the new tax changes.

Jack said: “For those with ageing low-CO2 small family and city cars, the transition to the current standard VED rate could see a hike of £150 or more a year on their motoring tax.

"With the average car currently paying £436.84 in fuel duty a year – or £524.21 when VAT is added at the pump – a £150 increase in the VED they will pay represents a 34% hike (29% with VAT) on top of what they are paying in fuel duty."

Online number plate checkers will also quickly identify whether a vehicle is legally taxed to be on UK roads.

It is a legal requirement to ensure vehicles are properly taxed with road users likely to be fined or have their car seized if they are caught trying to evade the rules.