VED
Vehicle Excise Duty. This is the formal UK tax name.
UK vehicle tax terms
Road tax vs car tax vs VED
In the UK, the formal name is Vehicle Excise Duty, usually shortened to VED. Many drivers search for car tax or road tax, but they normally mean the same practical question: how much tax is due for a vehicle.
Last reviewed: 8 May 2026.
Direct answer
VED is the formal tax. Car tax is the common plain-English term. Road tax is an informal phrase many people still use, but the calculator uses VED rates published for the relevant vehicle and tax year.
What each term means
Car tax
Common consumer term for VED on cars.
Road tax
Common informal term. Users often search it, but VED is not a direct fee for road use.
Which term should buyers use?
Use the term that helps you find the right information. On official pages, VED and vehicle tax are more common. In consumer searches, car tax and road tax are still widely used.
What does this calculator estimate?
cartax.org.uk estimates VED for cars using the 2026/27 rates. It does not check live tax status; for that, use the official GOV.UK checker.