Car tax check in Northern Ireland

Who runs vehicle tax in Northern Ireland?

Driver licensing and MOT testing in Northern Ireland are handled by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), and NI number plates use their own format. Vehicle tax, however, is administered by DVLA for the whole UK, so the rates and the way you check and pay are the same as in England, Scotland and Wales.

From Road Fund Licence to VED

Many people still call it the "road fund licence". Money from it was originally earmarked for roads, but that link ended long ago and it now goes into general taxation. Its official name is Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).

What NI drivers pay

NI vehicles use the same UK rate tables. For a car first registered from 1 April 2017, the standard rate is £200 a year from the second tax payment, with a £440 annual supplement for 5 years if the list price was over £40,000. Older cars pay by CO2 band or engine size; see how much is my car tax.

The key difference: insurance and Direct Debit

GOV.UK states that if your vehicle is registered in Northern Ireland, you must also have insurance in place when your vehicle tax is due to renew by Direct Debit. You'll get a letter telling you if your insurance will have run out by then. As everywhere in the UK, the vehicle also needs a valid MOT when the tax starts.

Checking an NI vehicle

Enter the Northern Ireland registration exactly as it appears on the plate, for example in the "ABZ 1234" style. Our checker removes spaces automatically. If you're buying a car that has moved between NI and Great Britain, check that the tax status and keeper details look right before you hand over money.

If you pay by Direct Debit, monthly and 6-monthly payments carry a 5% surcharge; paying yearly has no surcharge. DVLA takes payments on the first working day of the month, and the Direct Debit renews automatically when the tax runs out.