Historic vehicle tax

We are still adding models. This list is being expanded.

A vehicle is classed as historic for tax purposes if it was built before 1 January 1986. Historic vehicles pay £0 road tax. The rule is published on gov.uk/historic-vehicles.

The cutoff rolls forward by one year every April. So in the 2027-28 tax year, vehicles built before 1 January 1987 will qualify. If you do not know exactly when your vehicle was built, gov.uk accepts the registration date as a proxy: vehicles registered before 8 January 1986 qualify in the 2026-27 tax year without further documentation.

Historic status is not automatic. Owners have to apply to put their vehicle in the historic tax class each year at a Post Office, even though no payment is taken. The application uses the V5C registration document and proof of insurance and MOT (or a SORN if the vehicle is off the road).

Historic vehicles registered before 1 March 2001 are also exempt from MOT testing under separate rules, although owners can choose to MOT them voluntarily. The historic tax class is independent from MOT status, but both are tied to the vehicle's age.