How much is moped tax?

How much is moped tax?

Unfortunately, getting a moped on the road isn’t as simple as buying one. You’ll need to register the vehicle with the DVLA, get some insurance, and tax it. This sounds like a lot of work, but they’re all legal requirements for being on the road. After all, you need to be covered in the event of an accident, and have yourself registered as the owner of your moped. But what does road tax do, and how much is it?

What is road tax?

Road tax was originally introduced in 1921 to create a fund for maintaining roads. This rule was changed in 1937, and now all road tax is put into a central pot that’s used by various organisations. Every vehicle on the road must legally pay tax, and the tax band for cars is decided by the vehicle’s CO2 emissions. However, for mopeds, scooters, and motorbikes, it’s decided by their engine capacity.

How much is road tax for a moped?

Mopeds usually have an engine capacity of 50cc, with anything greater being a scooter or a motorbike. This puts them in the lowest tax bracket, and makes the road tax considerably cheaper than that of a car. The current price of 12 months road tax for a 50cc moped is £24. This can either be paid in one go every year, or it can be broken down into 12 direct debits. Doing it this way means you pay more (a whole 95p more), but it can be an easier way for some people to manage their finances.

The reason mopeds are so much cheaper to tax than cars is because they have much smaller engines, and so will produce fewer emissions. It’s also generally assumed that you’re not going to cover as much distance on a moped, and so you’re not expected to contribute as much money. The cheapest car tax bracket is around £25, but they rise sharply after this. This is another reason why mopeds are great vehicles for young road users; they’re inexpensive to run, and you should be able to get tax and insurance for a few hundred pounds.

The most important thing to remember about moped road tax is that you need to display a tax disc. The law was changed several years ago to state that cars don’t need to display them, but this wasn’t carried over onto motorbikes. So make sure you always have valid road tax, and that it’s always on display, otherwise you could be hit with a massive fine.

Nobody likes paying road tax, but it’s a legal requirement for getting on the road. Luckily, tax on mopeds is incredibly cheap and will cost you under £24 for a full year. This is a big saving even when compared to the smallest car engine, and makes it even easier for young riders to get on the road. Just make sure you always have you tax disc displayed!