Diesel car tax UK — diesel vehicles pay the same VED rates as petrol, but face additional costs through higher fuel duty. Here is the complete guide to diesel car road tax in 2026.
Diesel Car First-Year VED
Diesel vehicles are taxed identically to petrol cars based on CO2 emissions. There is no separate diesel road tax rate — both fuel types use the same graduated VED bands. A diesel at 120g/km and a petrol at 120g/km both pay £155 first-year VED.
Diesel Standard Annual Rate
From year 2 onwards, all diesel cars pay £190/year standard annual rate — the same as petrol. The first-year VED system is the only graduated period; after that, all petrol and diesel cars converge to the same standard rate.
The Diesel Supplement in Fuel Duty
While VED is identical, diesel drivers pay more at the pump. Diesel fuel carries approximately 8p per litre more in fuel duty than petrol. Over 12,000 miles at 40mpg, a diesel driver uses approximately 300 more litres than a petrol driver on the same journey — adding roughly £24 in extra fuel duty per year from the duty differential alone. In practice, diesel fuel economy partially offsets this.
Diesel SUVs and High-Emission Diesels
Large diesel SUVs and high-performance diesel cars emit 180-240g/km and pay £1,565-£2,100 first-year VED. The diesel supplement in fuel duty adds further cost over the vehicle's lifetime. London ULEZ charges also apply to non-Euro 6 diesel vehicles.
Conclusion
Diesel car tax UK: VED is identical to petrol. Extra costs come from fuel duty and ULEZ charges. Use our car tax calculator for your diesel model's VED rate.