Check your car tax & CO2 band for 2009/10 by text
Ecolane has launched a new Check Your Car Tax SMS service that calculates the rate of Vehicle Excise duty (road tax) for cars registered in the UK. The service uses a car's Vehicle Registration Mark (also known as the 'registration number' or 'licence plate') to calculate road tax bands and 12-month rates for this year and next.To use the service, the user simply sends an SMS text message with the keyword CARTAX together with a car's registration number (eg XY09ABC) to 86688. The service automatically replies via text message with the VED car tax bands (if applicable) and 12-month rates for this year and next. Other information is also provided as part of the service: the car's make, model and fuel type are included to confirm the car's details. Engine capacity (cc) and the official CO2 emissions (g/km) are also provided if applicable and available.
As explained by Ecolane's director, Dr Ben Lane: "The Check Your Car Tax text service has been designed to help motorists to calculate their current VED car tax band and 12-month car tax rate; a useful tool given the current tax system’s complexity and the fact that few motorists know their car’s CO2 emissions or VED tax band. The service is also designed to help motorists understand the implications of the imminent change in car tax bands and rates due to come into force on 1st April this year."
The Check Your Car Tax service costs £1 per car tax check (plus the standard network charge for the initial text). The service provides tax rates for most cars registered in the UK; in circumstances where vehicle information is not available, the user is NOT charged for the service. At present, the service is only able to calculate road tax for vehicles defined for revenue purposes as cars (as defined by the DVLA's Private Light Goods (PLG) revenue category TC11).
How to use the Check Your Car Tax service
Simply text CARTAX and a car’s REG NUMBER to 86688
Example: CARTAX XY09ABC send message to 86688
The service will provide the following car information (if available): Make, Model, Fuel Type, First Date of Registration, Engine Size (cc), Official CO2 emissions (g/km), Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) band and 12-month car tax rate for current and following tax year.
The new service, which costs £1 per car tax check (plus the standard network charge for the initial text), will only charge if the following car information is provided: Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) band and 12-month car tax rate for current and following tax year. In cases where vehicle and/or car tax information is not available, the user is NOT charged for the service. Please note that this is NOT a subscription service.
Conditions of use
The database used by the Service is based on the latest information from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which includes most cars registered in the UK. The DVLA dataset is initially based on vehicle data as supplied by vehicle manufacturers and registration agencies at the point of registration.
In cases where vehicles are subsequently converted or modified (eg after-market conversions to LPG), and/or in cases where the Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM) has been changed (eg to a private number plate), the Check Your Car Tax service will only reflect any changes to vehicle emissions and/or road tax rates if and when the DVLA has been notified of the change.
By requesting the Check Your Car Tax service by texting CARTAX and a car's registration number to 86688, the user implies acceptance of the Check Your Car Tax service Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. For full details of the Check Your Car Tax SMS service Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy and Helpline visit: whatgreencar.com/smsterms.php.