Motorbike Tax Rates UK 2026: Annual Cost by Engine Size

Motorbike Vehicle Excise Duty in the UK is structured around engine displacement rather than CO2 emissions, with four bands set by gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables for the 2025-26 tax year. The cheapest band, for motorbikes under 150cc, costs £25 a year, while the highest, for engines over 600cc, runs to £117 a year. Tricycles (defined as three-wheel motor vehicles) follow a different schedule, and electric motorbikes are zero-rated under the same Vehicle Excise Duty framework that applied to electric cars before April 2025. This guide covers each motorbike tax band, the engine size cut-offs, the tricycle and electric exception rules, and how to tax a motorbike online.

How motorbike tax bands work in 2025-26

Motorbike Vehicle Excise Duty bands run on engine displacement (cc) rather than CO2 emissions, a separate framework from the post-2017 car VED structure. The four bands per gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables for the 2025-26 tax year are: up to 150cc at £25, 151-400cc at £55, 401-600cc at £84, and over 600cc at £117. The cut-off is the manufacturer's stated engine displacement on the V5C, not power output, weight or vehicle category.

A 125cc commuter scooter therefore pays £25 a year. A 600cc supersport bike falls in the third band at £84. A 1000cc litre bike pays £117. The bands have been broadly stable across recent tax years with small inflation-linked uplifts. Drivers should check gov.uk for any 2026-27 update once the spring fiscal event is published.

Tricycles and how they differ from motorbikes

Tricycles, defined for VED purposes as three-wheel motor vehicles whose unladen weight does not exceed 450kg, follow a simpler two-band schedule. Tricycles up to 150cc pay £25 a year, the same as the equivalent motorbike band. Tricycles over 150cc pay £117 a year, jumping straight to the motorbike top band without intermediate steps. The framework applies whether the tricycle is a forward-drive arrangement or a rear-drive layout.

Larger three-wheel vehicles classified as quadricycles or light goods vehicles fall into different VED categories, often the £345 Private Light Goods rate or the higher LGV bands. The V5C field "Vehicle Category" determines the correct VED treatment, and DVLA reclassification may be needed if the V5C is incorrect for a converted vehicle.

Electric motorbikes: zero-rated through the framework

Battery electric motorbikes are treated as zero-emission vehicles for VED purposes and pay £0 a year through the standard motorbike framework. Electric motorbike sales remain a small but growing segment of the UK two-wheeler market, with brands such as Zero Motorcycles, Energica and electric scooter manufacturers offering road-legal options. The exemption from VED applies in addition to exemption from London ULEZ and Scottish LEZ, making electric motorbikes the lowest-cost option for inner-city riding.

As with electric cars, the broad direction of UK policy on EV taxation has been changing, with the April 2025 EV VED rules ending the long-running car exemption. Whether equivalent reforms reach electric motorbikes in future tax years remains to be confirmed. Drivers buying electric two-wheelers in 2026 should monitor announcements from HMRC and gov.uk on any subsequent reform.

How to tax a motorbike online

Motorbike tax is paid through gov.uk/vehicle-tax, the same portal used for cars. The driver enters the 11-character reference from the V5C or V11 reminder, selects the band that matches their motorbike's engine size, and chooses payment method (card or Direct Debit). The same 5 percent Direct Debit surcharge applies for monthly or 6-monthly schedules, identical to the car schedule. The annual Direct Debit has no surcharge.

Motorbikes need active insurance shown on the Motor Insurance Database and a valid MOT (where applicable, motorbikes over 3 years old) before tax can be paid. New motorbikes registered for the first time generate a V5C/2 new keeper supplement that can be used for the initial tax payment.

Historic motorbike exemption and ULEZ position

Motorbikes built more than 40 years ago qualify for the rolling Historic Vehicle exemption, which removes VED entirely. The 40-year threshold rolls forward each tax year, so motorbikes built before 1 January 1986 qualify for the 2025-26 tax year per gov.uk historic vehicle exemption rules. Owners apply to DVLA for the tax class change to Historic Vehicle, which removes the VED charge.

For London ULEZ, motorbikes failing the Euro 3 standard (typically those registered before 1 July 2007) face the £12.50 daily charge. Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee LEZs in Scotland exempt all motorbikes regardless of Euro standard, under the L-category exclusion in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019.

Mopeds, learner legal bikes and 50cc rules

Mopeds, defined as motorbikes up to 50cc with a maximum speed of 28mph, fall in the under-150cc tax band at £25 a year. The same rate applies to 50cc twist-and-go scooters that dominate the UK delivery and commuter segment. Learner-legal motorbikes restricted to 125cc and 11kW power similarly pay £25, since they sit within the under-150cc band on engine displacement alone, regardless of power restriction.

Riders moving up the licence ladder from CBT through A1 to A2 and finally to a full A licence may upgrade through several engine size brackets over time. Each upgrade may shift the VED band: a rider transitioning from a 125cc commuter to a 650cc midweight bike moves from the £25 band to the £84 band, an annual increase of £59 in tax. Factoring this into total cost of ownership planning helps avoid surprise renewal bills.

Direct Debit, SORN and seasonal storage

Many UK motorbike riders store their bike over the winter months from October to March, particularly in northern regions where road conditions discourage two-wheel riding. The Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) is the standard mechanism: declare SORN free via gov.uk/sorn, stop paying VED for the off-road period, and re-tax before riding again. Refunds for full unused months are issued automatically when SORN is declared mid-tax-year.

A motorbike under SORN must be kept off public roads, typically on a driveway, in a garage, or on private land. SORN remains active indefinitely until the vehicle is taxed, sold or scrapped. Riders should re-tax via gov.uk/vehicle-tax before the first spring ride, not after, since SORN is automatically cancelled the moment the vehicle is taxed and ANPR cameras will flag any untaxed bike on the road from that point.

Disabled exemption rules for motorbike riders

Motorbike riders eligible for the Disabled tax class can apply the same VED exemption framework that applies to cars. Riders receiving the higher rate mobility component of PIP or DLA may register the motorbike in the Disabled tax class for full exemption from VED. The standard rate mobility component allows a 50 percent reduction. Application is to DVLA with the relevant award letter, in line with gov.uk/financial-help-disabled/vehicles-and-transport.

Only one nominated vehicle per claim is eligible, so a rider who already has a car in the Disabled tax class cannot apply the exemption to the motorbike at the same time. Riders should weigh which vehicle has the higher annual VED before nominating, since the savings are larger on the higher band.

Frequently asked questions

How much is motorbike tax for a 125cc?

£25 a year, in the under-150cc band per gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables for the 2025-26 tax year. Monthly Direct Debit adds 5 percent for £2.19 per month or £26.25 a year.

How much for a 1000cc motorbike?

£117 a year in the over-600cc band. The same rate applies to any engine over 600cc, whether 650cc, 1000cc or 1300cc.

Are electric motorbikes really £0 in tax?

Yes, for the 2025-26 tax year. Electric motorbikes pay £0 VED through the zero-emission rate within the standard motorbike framework. Future tax years may reform this, in line with the April 2025 EV car VED changes.

Do tricycles pay the same as motorbikes?

Partly. Tricycles up to 150cc pay £25 a year, matching the smallest motorbike band. Tricycles over 150cc pay £117 a year, jumping straight to the top band rather than following the four-step motorbike schedule.

Can a motorbike qualify as historic for tax?

Yes. Motorbikes built more than 40 years ago qualify for the Historic Vehicle tax class, which removes VED. Motorbikes built before 1 January 1986 qualify for the 2025-26 tax year, with the threshold rolling forward each year.

Are motorbikes exempt from ULEZ?

Only if they meet Euro 3 emissions, typically motorbikes registered after 1 July 2007. Older non-compliant motorbikes pay the £12.50 daily ULEZ charge. Scottish LEZs exempt all motorbikes regardless of Euro standard.

How do I tax a new motorbike?

Use the V5C/2 new keeper supplement reference at gov.uk/vehicle-tax. Newly registered motorbikes need active insurance shown on the Motor Insurance Database before tax can be paid.

Sources

• UK Government, Vehicle tax rate tables 2025-26, gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables (accessed 2026)
• UK Government, Tax your vehicle, gov.uk/vehicle-tax (2026)
• UK Government, Vehicle tax Direct Debit, gov.uk/vehicle-tax-direct-debit (2025-26)
• UK Government, Historic vehicle exemption, gov.uk/historic-vehicles (2026)
• DVLA VEH02 motorcycle licensing statistics (2024-25)
• Transport for London, ULEZ for motorcycles, tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone (2026)
• Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, L-category vehicle exclusion

Internal links: UK vehicle tax bands · How to tax a car · CAZ motorbike exemption UK 2026