Car tax check.
Free.
WE CHECK:
- Outstanding finance (data provided by Experian)
- Insurance write-off (data provided by Experian)
- Stolen check (data provided by Experian)
- Mileage & clocking (data provided by Experian)
- MOT history
- Market valuation
- Salvage & auction (data provided by Experian)
- Car spec & options
and much more
*Data provided by Experian
How do I check a car's tax?
Enter the registration above and the free check shows whether the car is taxed, untaxed or SORN, and the date the tax is due. The data comes from the DVLA. Tax does not transfer to a new keeper, so if you buy the car you must tax it in your own name before you drive it.
Free Tax Status, Plus What It Cannot Show
Tax status tells you if a car is legal to drive today. It does not tell you the car is safe to buy.
Taxed, Untaxed or SORN
The free check shows the DVLA tax status for any UK registration, so you know whether the car can legally be on the road today
Tax Due Date
See the date the current tax runs to. If the tax is about to lapse, you know the new keeper will need to sort it straight away
Plus MOT and Vehicle Details
The same free result also shows MOT status, MOT history, colour, fuel type, engine size and first registration date
What Tax Data Cannot Show
A taxed car can still have outstanding finance, a stolen marker or a write-off history. A full Carhealth check covers those from £9.99
How it works
From registration plate to full report, in under a minute.
Step 1Enter your registration
Every UK car has a unique registration on its number plate or V5C logbook. Takes seconds to type in.
Step 2We search multiple sources
We pull from DVLA, DVSA, police databases, insurance records, auction houses, and more, all at once.
Step 3Your report is ready
Your history report is ready in under a minute, covering finance, theft, mileage, accidents, and more.
Step 4Buy with confidence
Use your report to negotiate a better price, avoid hidden problems, and make a safe, informed purchase.
View sample report →
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about car tax check on Carhealth
Enter the registration number above. The free result shows the DVLA tax status (taxed, untaxed or SORN) and the date the tax is due. The data comes from the DVLA vehicle enquiry service, the same source GOV.UK uses.
No. Since 1 October 2014 vehicle tax has not transferred when a vehicle is sold. The seller's tax is cancelled and any full months left are refunded to them. The buyer must tax the vehicle in their own name before driving it. You can do this online at GOV.UK using the 11-digit reference number on the V5C.
SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. It is a declaration to the DVLA that a vehicle is being kept off public roads, so it does not need to be taxed or insured while declared. A SORN vehicle cannot be driven or parked on a public road until it is taxed again.
You can buy it, but you cannot legally drive it on a public road until it is taxed in your name. If you are collecting the car, tax it online first, then drive it home. The vehicle also needs a valid MOT and insurance.
No. Tax status only says whether the vehicle is taxed with the DVLA. It does not show outstanding finance, stolen status, write-off category or clocked mileage. A full Carhealth history check (from £9.99) covers those records.
Working out what a car will cost to tax? Try the road tax calculator, or run a free car check for MOT history too.
Related guides
Plain-English reading on this check, from the Carhealth blog.