Motorists with certain registrations plates and older vehicles could be hit with a tax increase of up to £600 this spring, experts have warned. According to leasing specialists at Cars2Buy, cars that were registered from 2001 to 2017 are in line for a hike in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) starting April, as the charges are linked to emission levels rather than a standard rate.
Those owning cars which were manufactured over the 16-year period are charged VED determined by the amount of pollution they release. The fee categories for drivers are based on emissions, which can lead to vastly different costs.
Vehicles with low emissions may be charged as little as £20, but for the most heavily polluting petrol and diesel cars, the cost can soar beyond £600, reports Birmingham Live.
Older cars are in the firing line as Cars2Buy explained: “Cars registered between 2001 and 2017 will continue to be taxed based on their CO2 emissions, with rates ranging from £20 to £600 per year depending on the vehicle’s environmental impact.”
Each spring, VED fees are subject to an increase based on the Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation. Vehicle number plates typically give away the date of initial registration, making it easy to identify a car’s age.
Models manufactured between March to August generally match precisely with the year they were made. Cars built from September through February following tend to have a number that is 50 years greater than the current year.
The vehicle registration system we know today was established in 2001, with the introduction of ’01 and ’51’ plate vehicles. The following year saw the arrival of ’02’ and ’52’ plates, with ’03’ and ’53’ coming into play a year after that.
By 2010, cars registered in the latter half of the year began to feature the number ’60’, and by 2020, this had progressed to ’70’. This means that vehicles with a ’17’ or ’67’ plate will now be subject to the updated tax rates.
Motoring experts and breakdown specialists at the RAC said: “For cars registered between March 1, 2001 to March 31, 2017, the rates are split into different CO2 bands – the lower the tailpipe emissions, the lower the vehicle tax.
“In order to tax a vehicle, suitable car insurance cover must be in place, while the vehicle must also have a valid MOT if it is over three years old (four years in Northern Ireland). Both are checked electronically when you apply for car tax.”
Full list of number plates possibly affected
- 01/51
- 02/52
- 03/53
- 04/54
- 05/55
- 06/56
- 07/57
- 08/58
- 09/59
- 10/60
- 11/61
- 12/62
- 13/63
- 14/64
- 15/65
- 16/66
- 17/67