Guidance

Vehicle licensing statistics: notes and definitions

Updated 24 July 2024

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This document supports the latest vehicle licensing statistics.

Data sources

Vehicle licensing statistics are produced from extracts of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) vehicle database. Other sources of information are also used to improve and expand the information available.

DVLA database

The main purpose of the database is to administer vehicle registration and licensing records (for Great Britain prior to July 2014, and for the whole of the United Kingdom since this date).

The DVLA database contains a new record every time a new (or used) vehicle is first registered in the United Kingdom. A wide range of variables are captured, including the make, model, body type, colour and size of the vehicle, plus some basic information about the keeper of the vehicle, including the postcode of the keeper. More information about what is captured and how this is done can be found in the V355 guidance notes produced by DVLA.

The initial registration of new vehicles is usually carried out by vehicle manufacturers at the point of sale. In most cases, this is currently processed using the Register a Vehicle (RaV) service. Historically, this was done using the Automatic First Registration and Licensing (AFRL) system.

In a small number of cases, the information is keyed in manually by DVLA staff. Reasons for this include:

• vehicles being imported into the UK
• vehicles that have been restored or built by an individual
• unusual or rare vehicle categories

Vehicle details held by DVLA are updated when a vehicle has:

• changed keeper
• been scrapped or exported
• been modified by the keeper

In July 2014, vehicle and registration services for Northern Ireland were centralised at DVLA, where these services for Great Britain were already administered. This created a single vehicle register for the United Kingdom, in place of separate registers for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. From this time, statistics can be provided for both Great Britain and the United Kingdom.

CO2 emissions information

With the introduction of the Worldwide harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), new data was required to accurately measure the emissions of new cars and light goods vehicles. Additional data was captured both via the RaV system and from vehicle manufacturers.

Plug-in vehicle information

The DVLA record does not capture information about plug-in hybrid electric or range extended electric vehicles, so this information is gathered manually at individual model level. This process is ongoing and iterative.

Generic models

The methodology used to implement the generic model to all makes and models is iteratively improved in each release.

Quality of the data

Vehicle Licensing statistics are produced to the high professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.

They were designated as accredited official statistics in April 2012.

Impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19)

The coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on every aspect of life in the United Kingdom, which has affected almost all statistical trends across the transport sector.

New vehicle registration and licensed vehicle statistics are likely to be affected in future months and quarters by the economic and social impacts of the coronavirus.

Strengths and weaknesses

The DVLA database can be regarded as being virtually complete in terms of the number of licensed vehicles and vehicles with a SORN. However, there will be some errors in some of the specific details of individual vehicles.

The DVLA carry out regular Traceability Surveys which look at whether it is possible to trace the owner of any given vehicle and check what details on the database are inaccurate. DVLA estimate that every variable is correct for roughly 89% of the registered vehicles. The remaining 11% of vehicles will have an error in at least one of the fields. Of the overall total, about 4% have wrong details that make it impossible to trace the registered keeper of the vehicle (often caused by keepers not providing DVLA with updated details when they move or dispose of the vehicle).

Most of the inaccuracies in the database are with the less critical variables, such as colour, though some will affect the statistics published here (for example by having the wrong CO2 g/km emission value or the wrong wheelbase). DfT estimates that under 2% of vehicle records have an inaccuracy in one of the variables used for the published statistics.

Revisions to series

Various measures in these statistics are subject to minor revision for the entire series. This is usually due to being continually assessed and improved, or due to additional information being collected at a later date. Major changes to these figures will be communicated to users.

The measures subject to regular minor revisions are:

• ultra low emission vehicles
• plug-in vehicles
• plug-in vehicle grants
• CO2 emissions
• generic models

Definitions

Body types

DVLA record a vehicle body type for each registered vehicle. These body types relate to the physical construction of the vehicle but not the way in which it is currently being used. The key body type groups used are outlined in Table 1.

Table 1: Definitions of body types

Body type	Definition
Cars	Vehicles constructed for passenger carrying with up to eight seats (excluding the driver). This includes private hire vehicles (PHV) that are car based but not Hackney Carriages, which are in “Other vehicles”.
Motorcycles	Vehicles with 2 wheels, including scooters and mopeds, as well as powerful electric bikes.
Light goods vehicles (LGVs)	Vehicles constructed for transporting goods and must have a gross weight of 3.5 tonnes or less, or 4.25 tonnes or less if zero emission.
Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)	Vehicles constructed for transporting goods and must have a gross weight over 3.5 tonnes, or over 4.25 tonnes if zero emission. This includes vehicles that are not used for freight.
Buses and coaches	Vehicles constructed for passenger carrying with nine seats or more (excluding the driver). This includes minibuses, which are usually similar in construction to vans.
Other vehicles	All vehicles not mentioned in other body types. This includes Hackney Carriages, rear diggers, lift trucks, rollers, ambulances, three wheelers, tricycles and agricultural vehicles.

Road using vehicles is a new concept introduced in the 2021 annual release of these statistics.

A road using vehicle is one that would reasonably be expected to:

• make significant use of the public highway
• be used as a mode of transport

A number of vehicle types on the DVLA register are electric but rarely used the public highways, so the concept of a “road using vehicle” in these statistics allows users to better interpret data about vehicles on the road.

The vast majority of vehicles on the DVLA database would be considered road using, around 98%. However, there are a number of exceptions, which are outlined in Table 2.

Table 2: Body types not considered “road using vehicles” in these statistics

Body type recorded against vehicle	Details	Reason	Indicative number of vehicles in the UK
Agric Machine	Agricultural vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Agric Tractor	Agricultural vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Common (over 100,000)
Bull Dozer	Road maintenance vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Combine Harvester	Agricultural vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Crane	Construction vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Forage Harvester	Agricultural vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Front Dumper	Construction vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Gritting Vehicle	Road maintenance vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Hydraulic Excavator	Construction vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Invalid Vehicle	Class 3 mobility scooter	Minimal use of public highway	Common (over 100,000)
Lift Truck	Logistics vehicle	Minimal use of public highway	Rare (over 1,000)
Line Painter	Road maintenance vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Loading Shovel	Construction vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Mobile Plant	Construction vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Mowing Machine	Agricultural vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Not Recorded	Unknown construction	Unknown construction	Rare (over 1,000)
Pedestrian Controlled Vehicle (PCV)	Logistics vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Rear Digger	Construction vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Road Stripper	Road maintenance vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Road Surfacer	Road maintenance vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Road Testing	Road maintenance vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Roller	Road maintenance vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Root Crop Harvester	Agricultural vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Snow Plough	Road maintenance vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Special Purpose	Unknown construction	Unknown construction	Rare (over 1,000)
Sprayer	Agricultural vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Station Tractor	Agricultural vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Street Cleansing	Road maintenance vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Tar Sprayer	Road maintenance vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Telescopic Material Handler	Logistics vehicle	Minimal use of public highway	Rare (over 1,000)
Tractor Excavator	Construction vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Rare (over 1,000)
Uncodable body type	Unknown construction	Unknown construction	Rare (over 1,000)
Viner/Picker	Agricultural vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)
Windrower	Agricultural vehicle	Not a mode of transport	Specialist (less than 1,000)

Keepership

The keeper of the vehicle is responsible for registering and taxing the vehicle only. The keeper of the vehicle is not necessarily the owner or the driver.

A vehicle is either registered to an individual (private) to a or to a business (company). The data source for these DfT statistics does not have full details of the vehicle keepers, only the title of the keeper (for example Mr, Mrs or Company) and the relevant postcode. When a vehicle is in the process of changing hands, it is considered “between keepers” or “under disposal” and has no keeper at that point.

The keeper’s address does not have to be where the vehicle is physically kept, but the keeper must be contactable at that address. This is especially relevant for company vehicles, where a national fleet might be registered to a single administrative office.

A good example of the keeper not being the same as the owner would be for car leasing schemes, where an individual is responsible for taxing the vehicle, but it belongs to the leasing firm.

A good example of the keeper not being the same as the driver would be family use of a private vehicle or when renting a car from a car hire company.

Tax classes

All vehicles registered by DVLA are allocated a tax class, reflecting the way in which the vehicle is used and, in some cases, by whom it is used. It does not always reflect the physical construction of the vehicle. VED due from a specific tax class is outlined in V149.

In some cases, the precise tax class depends upon certain vehicle characteristics such as engine size, propulsion type, emission rates, gross weight, number of axles or, in the case of public transport vehicles, and the number of seats.

Table 3 shows the current key tax class groupings in these statistics, but there have been many changes to the tax classes over the years.

Table 3: Definitions of key tax class groupings

Key tax class groupings	Definition
Private and light goods (PLG)	This is the most common tax class group, covering approximately 90% of licensed vehicles. This primarily consists of cars and light goods vehicles but can include other vehicles used only for private purposes. This used to be a singular tax class, but is now made up of several classes, based on various characteristics such as engine size and CO2 emissions.
Motorcycles, scooters and mopeds	The standard tax class for motorcycles, scooters and mopeds; based on engine size. This excludes tricycles which are in “Other vehicles”.
Goods vehicles	Vehicles with a gross weight over 3.5 tonnes that are used for carrying goods. The rate of VED depends on the maximum gross weight and the axle configuration of the vehicle.
Buses	This group covers buses and coaches with more than eight seats (excluding the driver) used for commercial purposes. Vehicles not used for commercial purposes would be licensed in the PLG tax class. The rate of VED is dependent upon the number of seats in the vehicle.
Crown and Exempt	This group includes vehicles which are exempt from VED. This can be for a variety of reasons, including vehicles driven by disabled drivers, emergency and crown vehicles and historic vehicles. Special Machines were added from January 2002 onwards.
Other vehicles	All tax classes not covered in other groups. This includes agricultural vehicles, recovery vehicles, general haulage vehicles, small island vehicles and tricycles.

Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)

From 31 January 1998, it has been necessary to make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) for any vehicle for which the keeper does not wish to renew the tax, or wished to claim a tax refund, because it is not being used on the road.

SORN declarations made prior to 16 December 2013 had to be renewed after 12 months. Declarations after this date no longer have to be renewed annually and will remain valid until the vehicle is re-taxed, sold, permanently exported or scrapped. When a vehicle with a SORN declaration is sold, the new owner will need to tax or SORN the vehicle themselves.

For statistical purposes, this change to “continuous SORN” may make a difference in a very small proportion of cases to the estimation of whether a vehicle was licensed or SORN at the statistical census date (such as, the end of the previous quarter). The removal of the requirement to renew SORN declarations annually has resulted in an increase in their number.

CO2 emissions

When a car or van is registered for the first time, a CO2 emissions figure is reported to the DVLA for monitoring purposes (among other reasons, such as VED).

These emissions were originally determined using the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), which has been in place since 1992. NEDC is a theoretical laboratory test using a limited number of driving conditions, which led to numerous criticisms from industry and stakeholders. As vehicle technology evolved, the disparity between NEDC emissions and “real world” emissions grew wider, compounded by incidents of “defeat devices” being used to lower official emissions.

Introduced in 2015, the Worldwide harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) is a replacement laboratory test for emissions and fuel efficiency, initially developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It aims to better align reported CO2 emissions measured in the laboratory with those achieved during real world driving conditions.

In order to smoothly transition the UK from using NEDC to WLTP for cars and vans registered for the first time, an equivalent NEDC figure was calculated, or e-NEDC figure, using the results of a WLTP test via the COM2PAS tool developed by the European Commission. This figure can also be referred to as a NEDC correlated figure. This is not directly comparable with a NEDC figure as their underlying methodologies are different. The e-NEDC figure allows for the continuation of tax and emission monitoring systems that were set up to use NEDC.

Table 4 sets out how the two different test procedures (NEDC and WLTP) and the 3 different test figures (NEDC, e-NEDC, and WLTP) have been used during the transition for cars.

Table 4: The use of different testing systems for average reported CO2 emissions of new cars, United Kingdom

Time Period (inclusive)	Testing system used	Reported figure at point of first registration
March 2001 to August 2018	NEDC	NEDC
September 2018 to December 2018	NEDC and WLTP	NEDC and e-NEDC
January 2019 to March 2020	WLTP	e-NEDC
April 2020 onwards	WLTP	WLTP

From September 2018 onwards, cars tested under NEDC could only be registered with agreement from the European Commission, so called “end-of-series derogations”. This avoided manufacturers being left with new cars that were illegal to sell - although this was used sparingly.

Once WLTP testing was introduced in September 2018, cars registered for the first time quickly transitioned to being registered with an e-NEDC figure. WLTP then became the reported figure used when cars are registered from April 2020. From 2021, this has been the only mandatory reported measure for new cars.

Fuel types

The most common fuel types used to propel vehicles are petrol and diesel, sometimes referred to as Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles. Since about 2014, several alternatives have been growing in popularity. The term “electric vehicle” is vague and can relate to different groupings of fuel types depending on the context, but most commonly refers to just battery electric vehicles.

Table 5: Definitions of main fuel types

Fuel types	Acronym	Common synonyms	Plug-in?	Zero emission?	Definition
Petrol	ICE	Unleaded	No	No	Propelled by an ICE using petrol. Can include mild hybrids.
Diesel	ICE	Heavy Oil	No	No	Propelled by an ICE using diesel. Can include mild hybrids.
Hybrid electric	HEV	Non plug-in hybrid; self-charging hybrid	No	No	Propelled by an ICE or an electric motor. The battery is charged when the fuel is used to propel the vehicle. Can include mild hybrids.
Plug-in hybrid electric	PHEV	Sometimes includes REEVs	Yes	No	Propelled by an ICE or an electric motor. The battery is charged when the fuel is used or by connecting to a mains electricity supply.
Range extended electric	REEV	Special case of PHEV	Yes	No	Propelled by an electric motor. The battery is charged when the fuel is used or by connecting to a mains electricity supply.
Battery electric	BEV	Pure electric; zero emission; electric	Yes	Yes	Propelled by an electric motor only. The battery is charged by connecting to a mains electricity supply.
Fuel cell electric	FCEV	Hydrogen	No	Yes	Propelled by an electric motor. The battery is charged using a fuel cell. Fuel cells typically generate electricity using oxygen from the air and compressed hydrogen.

There are a number of rarer fuel types that include liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), other types of gas, biofuels, steam, and experimental technologies.

Low and zero emission vehicles

Ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) are vehicles that are reported to emit less than 75g of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the tailpipe for every kilometre travelled.

ULEVs will typically include an electrified powertrain, but a number of different technologies can be used to achieve these low emissions.

Examples of ULEV vehicles include:

• BEVs, such as the Tesla Model 3, Nissan Leaf and Nissan e-NV200 (van)
• some HEVs that are particularly low emitting, such as a series of Toyota Prius in 2016 to 2017
• FCEVs, sometimes referred to as hydrogen powered, such as the Toyota Mirai or Hyundai IX35
• some PHEVs (petrol or diesel), such as the Mitsubishi Outlander (PHEV)
• REEVs (petrol or diesel), such as the BMW I3S REX

A number of rarer alternative fuel types such as biofuels and other emerging technologies may also fall into ultra low emission categories.

Zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) are a subset of ULEVs, which report 0 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the tailpipe for every kilometre travelled, currently only including:

• BEVs
• FCEVs, sometimes referred to as hydrogen powered

Plug-in vehicles (PiVs) use a plug-in technology to connect to a source of electricity and are road using. Current fuel types that count as plug-in vehicles are:

• BEVs
• petrol or diesel PHEVs
• petrol or diesel REEVs

Not all plug-in vehicles are ULEVs, for example the BMW X5 PHEV is too high emitting to count.

It should be noted that data from the DVLA is cleansed and quality checked before classification as ULEV, ZEV or PiV. This process aims to remove administrative errors such as incorrect CO2 values, and is occasionally revised to maintain data robustness.

Impact of WLTP on ultra low emission vehicles

In April 2020, cars moved to report a new CO2 emission figure at first registration. This “WLTP” figure generally reports higher emission levels for the same car.

As ULEVs are based on reported emissions, the set of non-BEV models that are considered ULEVs for these statistics (for example Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, BMW 330e PHEV) has been affected when transitioning to a new source for the reported emissions figure. BEV models are unaffected (for example Nissan Leaf) as they always report zero emissions under all tests.

When vehicles transitioned from reporting NEDC to e-NEDC (September to December 2018 for cars and September to December 2019 for light goods vehicles), there was potential for the set of models to vary. However, given the “equivalent” nature of e-NEDC, the impact of this transition is considered negligible for these statistics. This means that published figures on ULEVs are still comparable across this transition.

When cars transitioned from reporting e-NEDC to WLTP (April 2020), there was a notable impact on the set of models. The relationship between these 2 emissions figures is complex. For petrol, diesel, and hybrid electric cars, the WLTP figure is typically around 20% higher than the e-NEDC figure. Whilst this impact can be reduced for plug-in vehicles, the WLTP figure is still typically higher. This means that models just under the 75 grams threshold under NEDC can be pushed over by the transition to WLTP. Common affected models include Land Rover Range Rover P400E, Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, and Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid.

Whilst the set of models from April 2020 is slightly reduced, the number of ULEVs in these statistics remain broadly comparable across this transition, as the most common models are not affected. Alternative definitions of ULEVs are being considered in order to provide a consistent time series going forward.

Factors affecting statistics on licensed vehicles

When assessing the data on licensed vehicles presented within this publication, it is important to note that the numbers given represent the number of vehicles licensed at the end of each year. The following factors may affect the statistics given.

Seasonality in stock figures

The number of licensed vehicles at the end of each quarter is seasonal as the distribution of vehicles changes throughout the year.

Motorcycles are especially affected as a large number are kept off road during the winter months (given a SORN). Many such vehicles have 6 month licences covering, for example April to September and are not used for the rest of the year.

Many tables are presented on a quarterly basis to illustrate this seasonality.

When comparing licensed vehicles over time, statistics for the same quarter in different years should be used, rather than comparing consecutive quarters.

For example, 2021 Quarter 2 (end June) data should be compared to 2020 Quarter 2 (end June) rather than 2021 Quarter 1 (end March).

Seasonality in new registration figures

New registration data generally shows very marked peaks of new vehicle registrations in March and September and troughs in February and August. These correspond with the release of the new registration plates in March and September each year. Up to September 1999, new registration plates were issued only once a year in August.

New registration statistics are also much more responsive to the wider state of the United Kingdom economy than the total licensed vehicles statistics. In general, new registrations are higher during periods of strong economic growth and lower during times of low growth or recession.

When comparing new vehicle registrations over time, statistics for the same time period in different years should be used, rather than comparing consecutive months or quarters.

For example, November 2021 data should be compared to November 2020 rather than October 2021.

Effect of government actions

Government policy can impact the trends in these statistics, such as changes to

• VED and other aspects of taxation
• regulations, such as emissions monitoring
• administrative, such as introducing “continuous SORN”
• incentives, such as the plug-in vehicle grant

Using the data on makes and models

The following tables and datafiles contain information about the make and model of vehicles:

• VEH0133
• VEH0141
• VEH0171
• VEH0181
• VEH0210
• VEH0260
• df_VEH0120 (GB and UK)
• df_VEH0124
• df_VEH0160 (GB and UK)
• df_VEH0220
• df_VEH0270

There are some third party websites that process this DfT data and present it in a different format.

Data processing

The statistical database used for these statistics does not contain the text of the make and model. Instead, the information is encoded at point of first registration.

Prior to 1963, these codes were created by manufacturers and they tended to record less detail than for modern vehicles. Usually just a generic commercial name was used.

Since 1963, the manufacturers created the model codes in conjunction with the DVLA, initially, and subsequently the various trade associations. The main stipulation of the codes is that they should only be created for models which have been made available for sale in the UK.

Generic model

Generic model is a grouping of models to help compare models on the road. Manufacturers vary in their approach on how many model versions they give a particular range of vehicles. For example, there are currently 3 model versions for Tesla Model 3, but there are over 800 model versions for Ford Fiesta.

Missing or incorrect details

The limitations of these make and model statistics are not errors in the DVLA database, but issues with the statistical process used.

If a vehicle keeper believes that there is a specific error on the V5 document for their own vehicle, they should contact the DVLA directly to have this corrected.

Vehicle manufacturers submit vehicle information at point of first registration and DVLA do not change it unless prompted. This means that most mistakes in the final data are usually because of administrative errors made by the manufacturer. Other mistakes can occur when vehicles are registered manually using a paper form as there is opportunity for typographic errors.

Other issues

• vehicles registered before 1963 are less likely to have a specific model name or any model name at all. Model names would only have existed if the manufacturer created one at the time
• model names are not designed to fully describe the vehicle, so different “marks” or trims might be included as one model name, despite being different vehicles (for example Volkswagen Golf)
• imported vehicles (that have not been on general sale in the UK) would not have a code available. DVLA attempts to find a near match but usually end up setting them to “model missing”
• some smaller vehicle manufacturers are not part of the encoding scheme, so their vehicles are registered with the correct make code, but do not have any model codes
• multistage build vehicles (for example motorhomes) are likely to have a mix of makes and models from the base and final manufacturers

Any vehicle of a given model name which cannot be found in the data will most likely be included in the missing categories.

History of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED)

There have been several major changes to the VED system in recent years. This section highlights some important changes when considering trends over time. This is not an exhaustive list.

1980s

From 1 October 1982, all general goods vehicles up to 1,525 kilograms (kg) unladen weight were assessed for vehicle excise duty at the same rate as private vehicles, and the old Private Car and Van tax class was replaced by the new Private and Light Goods (PLG) tax class. In addition, goods vehicles greater than 1,525 kg unladen weight were to be taxed with reference to their gross vehicle weight and axle configuration, as opposed to unladen weight as in previous years. Farmers’ light goods vehicles and showmen’s light goods vehicles, such as vehicles up to 1,525 kg unladen weight, were allocated to their own distinct tax classes and were not included in the PLG tax class.

1990s

From 1 October 1990, goods vehicles less than or equal to 3,500 kg (3.5 tonnes) gross vehicle weight were transferred from the Goods Vehicle tax class to the Private and Light Goods class. Farmers’ and showmen’s goods vehicles of less than or equal to 3,500 kg gross vehicle weight, but more than 1,525 kg unladen weight, were transferred to the Light Goods Farmers’ and Light Goods Showmen’s tax classes.

There were major reforms of the entire VED system. The bulk of the 1995 changes came into operation on 1 July 1995, but some additional changes were introduced on 29 November 1995. The intention was to remove many of the complications in the existing tax structure, using a strategy to link VED rates for many vehicles directly to the rate for the PLG group, or the basic minimum rate for HGVs.

In addition, the goods vehicle tax system was considerably simplified by the abolition of separate goods vehicle classes for farmers and showmen. All remaining light goods vehicle tax classes were also abolished and vehicles in those groups transferred to the PLG class. At the same time, the basis for calculation of excise duty for goods vehicles was amended to “revenue weight”. Revenue weight means either “confirmed maximum gross weight” as determined by plating and testing regulations, or “design weight” for vehicles not subject to plating and testing (formerly known as Restricted HGVs).

The process also included further simplifications and “tidying” arrangements. These included cases in which vehicles not over 3,500 kg gross weight were moved into the PLG tax class rather than remaining in specialised tax classes and groups, and the re-allocation of some tax classes into more appropriate groups.

One key change of a similar type was to abolish the separate tax of public transport vehicles with eight seats or fewer and tax all such vehicles in the PLG class. From start of July 1995, bigger public transport vehicles were taxed in a new bus tax class. The changes were completed by the introduction of a new exempt class in the November 1995 budget for vehicles previously in the private and light goods or motorcycle groups over 25 years of age. From November 1997, this applies only to vehicles that were manufactured before 1973.

2000s

From March 2001, the VED due for cars was set according to the reported CO2 emissions emitted by the vehicle. There were originally 6 bands, A to F, which was expanded in March 2006 to include a new emissions band G.

From April 2009, these seven emission VED bands for cars were increased to 13 (A to M) and redefined.

2010s

For cars registered for the first time from April 2017 onwards, a flat Standard Rate applies (except for zero emissions cars which remain zero rated) after the first year. Cars with a list price in excess of £40,000 incur an additional supplement for the years 2 to 6. All cars newly registered before 1 April 2017 are taxed according to a new set of emission bands.

2020s

From April 2020, the emissions figure used to allocate a car to a VED band shifted from a NEDC or equivalent figure to a WLTP figure, which is typically higher for most vehicles.

Other sources of data on vehicles

Data from other DfT statistical series

Statistics on Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) evasion are produced using a bespoke roadside survey. If a vehicle is being illegally used on the road without a licence (such as evading VED), then it is not counted in the statistics presented within this publication. The same data source is used to produce estimated of foreign registered vehicles on UK roads.

The National Travel Survey includes tables on driving licence holders, vehicle ownership and driving intentions.

Statistics are also available on reported road accidents and road safety.

Northern Ireland

The Department for Infrastructure publishes statistics on Northern Ireland using an extract of the UK database. We will continue to work with colleagues in Northern Ireland to produce consistent statistics for the whole of the United Kingdom.

Trade associations

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) also produces some statistics for the UK. These are collated directly from the manufacturers and therefore only report new vehicles, rather than all new registrations. There are also some minor differences in body type classifications used. This means that although the broad trends between the SMMT data and the statistics published in this series tend to be similar, there will be some minor differences.

In addition, the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) produce motorcycle statistics for the UK and the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) produce tractor statistics for the UK.

Publication schedule

Most of the vehicle licensing statistics tables are typically published annually in May, with an accompanying statistical release.

A selection of tables is also typically published quarterly, in July, September and December (the final quarter being incorporated into the May annual release).

All the statistics are published via the vehicle licensing statistics collection page along with an index of all tables.

Any updates to these plans will be advertised via the DfT statistical publications schedule.

To hear more about DfT statistical publications as they are released, follow us on X at DfTstats.

Symbols and conventions

The Government Statistical Service (GSS) publishes guidance on symbols and shorthand, which has been used within this statistical release and related tables.

Symbols and shorthand used will be explained in the same document.

Previous statistical releases

Previous versions of the vehicle licensing statistics releases are available.

Instructions for printing and saving

Depending on which browser you use and the type of device you use (such as a mobile or laptop) these instructions may vary.

Tablets and mobile devices normally have the option to “find in text” and “print or save” in their sharing or quick options menu of their browser, but this will vary by device model.

How to search

Select Ctrl and F on a Windows laptop or Command and F on a Mac.

This will open a search box in the top right-hand corner of the page. Type the word you are looking for in the search bar and press enter.

Your browser will highlight the word, usually in yellow, wherever it appears on the page. Press enter to move to the next place it appears.

Contact details

Vehicles statistics

Email vehicles.stats@dft.gov.uk