Free Car Tax Check by Registration
Enter a number plate to see whether a vehicle is taxed, untaxed or declared SORN, and when the current tax period ends.
What the tax check tells you
The result shows the recorded tax status for the registration you entered, together with the date the current tax runs to where that information is held. Alongside it you get the basic vehicle record — make, model, year, colour, fuel type, engine size and CO₂ figure — so you can confirm the plate belongs to the car you are looking at.
Three statuses cover almost every vehicle. Taxed means the vehicle is currently licensed for road use. Untaxed means no valid tax is in force and no off-road declaration has been made. SORN means the keeper has told DVLA the vehicle is kept off public roads.
Tax does not follow the car
When a vehicle changes hands, the seller’s tax is cancelled and any full remaining months are refunded automatically. The buyer cannot inherit it. That means a car you have just bought is untaxed the moment the keeper changes, and you need to tax it in your own name using the new keeper slip from the V5C before you drive away.
Untaxed vehicles used on a public road risk a penalty, and enforcement is automated through number-plate cameras rather than a paper disc in the windscreen. Because there is nothing to see on the car itself, checking the plate is the only quick way to know.
When SORN matters
A SORN vehicle must be kept off the public road entirely — a driveway, garage or private land, not a kerbside space. The one recognised exception is driving to a pre-booked MOT appointment. If a car you are viewing is on SORN, ask why. A long off-road spell can mean a restoration project, a stalled repair, or simply a second car left standing, and each of those has different implications for condition.
A SORN also needs renewing if the vehicle stays off the road, and it ends automatically when the vehicle is taxed again or sold.
Pair the tax check with MOT and history
Tax and MOT are linked: you generally cannot tax a vehicle without a valid MOT in place. Run the free MOT check at the same time, and if you are buying from a private seller or trader, the full car history check adds finance, stolen and write-off information.
For more detail read how to check if a vehicle is taxed or SORN and whether you can tax a car without an MOT. RegPeek is independent and not affiliated with DVLA or DVSA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does road tax transfer when I buy a car?
No. Vehicle tax ends when the vehicle changes keeper. The seller receives a refund for full remaining months and the buyer must tax the vehicle in their own name before driving it.
What does SORN mean?
SORN is a Statutory Off Road Notification. It tells DVLA the vehicle is kept off public roads, so no tax is due, but the vehicle must not be driven or parked on a public road except to a pre-booked MOT.
Why does a tax status look out of date?
Tax records are supplied by third-party data providers and can lag behind a very recent payment or SORN declaration by a short period. Check the official DVLA service if a status looks wrong.
Can an electric car still show a tax status?
Yes. Zero-emission vehicles still have to be taxed even where the amount payable is nil, so the record shows a tax status and an expiry date in the same way as a petrol or diesel car.