EV drivers braced for first tax bills as sweeping DVLA changes land this April

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Thousands of drivers across the UK are about to receive their first-ever vehicle tax letters from the DVLA, as sweeping rule changes take effect next month. From April, electric vehicle (EV) owners—who until now were exempt—must start paying vehicle tax, with forms landing on doormats for the first time in connection to these cars.

This change could catch some EV owners off guard when the tax reminder arrives, especially if their vehicle’s renewal is due in May.For vehicles manufactured after 2017, the annual tax will be set at £195, while those with brand new or older EVs will see lower rates.

The government confirmed this new tax system last year, which took effect at the start of the new tax year, meaning EV owners will now pay the same standard rate as most petrol and diesel drivers. “From 1 April 2025, vehicle tax is changing for electric and low emission vehicles. See how these changes affect you,” the DVLA announced on social media.

The updates do not only apply to future registrations—existing electric vehicles registered between April 1, 2017, and March 31, 2025, will also be subject to the £195 standard rate, while vehicles registered before 2017 will be taxed based on their CO2 emissions.

The changes mean another cost for households to consider, following a series of bill increases earlier this month. Meanwhile, DVLA data shows that over 140,000 driving licence holders in the UK are currently banned from driving—equivalent to one in every 374 drivers.

Drivers can lose their licence for various reasons, such as accumulating 12 or more penalty points, being convicted of serious offences, or driving dangerously or recklessly, with bans ranging from six months to over two years depending on the offence.

In some cases, drivers must retake their test before regaining legal driving status. Dayinsure, an online short-term car insurance provider, submitted a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA to identify which areas have the highest proportions of banned drivers.