Expensive Car Tax Supplement Confusion

[_Hoppers]

I'm looking at a used November 2025 Polestar 2 with the Climate Pack, Plus Pack and Pilot Pack. I'm pretty sure the list price would have been more than £50k when new?

I've asked the approved used Polestar dealer to check whether the expensive car tax supplement would be applicable. They went online to tax the vehicle and it came back as not needing to pay the ECTS. I've consulted AI but I don't seem to be getting a clear answer? Would the ECTS come into effect in September 2027 (assuming I buy the car this month) or in November 2026 when the car is a year old?

Is there anything on the V5 document which would point to it falling under the ECTS?

[Dimebars]

I'd assume you need to pay it and treat it as a bonus if you don't

[_Hoppers]

I don't think I'll be buying the car if ECTS applies

[Mandat]

_Hoppers said:

I'm looking at a used November 2025 Polestar 2 with the Climate Pack, Plus Pack and Pilot Pack. I'm pretty sure the list price would have been more than £50k when new?

I've asked the approved used Polestar dealer to check whether the expensive car tax supplement would be applicable. They went online to tax the vehicle and it came back as not needing to pay the ECTS. I've consulted AI but I don't seem to be getting a clear answer? Would the ECTS come into effect in September 2027 (assuming I buy the car this month) or in November 2026 when the car is a year old?

Is there anything on the V5 document which would point to it falling under the ECTS?

Yes, the V5 will say if the supplement applies, and when it expires, which is 6 years from the date of first registration.

Edit to add: You can also see on the DVLA car tax check site whether the supplement applies.

Edited by Mandat on Monday 14th September 12:40

[scot_aln]

Yes at the very bottom of the https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/ page shown as "Additional Rate applicable until"

[_Hoppers]

Mandat said:

_Hoppers said:

I'm looking at a used November 2025 Polestar 2 with the Climate Pack, Plus Pack and Pilot Pack. I'm pretty sure the list price would have been more than £50k when new?

I've asked the approved used Polestar dealer to check whether the expensive car tax supplement would be applicable. They went online to tax the vehicle and it came back as not needing to pay the ECTS. I've consulted AI but I don't seem to be getting a clear answer? Would the ECTS come into effect in September 2027 (assuming I buy the car this month) or in November 2026 when the car is a year old?

Is there anything on the V5 document which would point to it falling under the ECTS?

Yes, the V5 will say if the supplement applies, and when it expires, which is 6 years from the date of first registration.

Edit to add: You can also see on the DVLA car tax check site whether the supplement applies.

Edited by Mandat on Monday 14th September 12:40

Cheers, just checked your last comment with another car which is deffo more than £50k and the Gov site mentions the additional tax. No additional tax on the Polestar!

[_Hoppers]

scot_aln said:

Yes at the very bottom of the https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/ page shown as "Additional Rate applicable until"

Just spotted this after Mandat's response, hadn't noticed it when I previously looked!

[roly79]

It does seem very difficult to work out if a second hand car was over the 40k threshold when new and will get hit with the luxury car tax. Be handy if this was published somewhere before looking at a car

[E-bmw]

roly79 said:

It does seem very difficult to work out if a second hand car was over the 40k threshold when new and will get hit with the luxury car tax. Be handy if this was published somewhere before looking at a car

See the post above your reply, it is.

[scot_aln]

One thing it would be nice to see (maybe more out of interest) is what the actual list price was. Be a bit annoying to know that someone spec'd a car £100 over the 40k(ICE) or 50k(Electric) which resulted in £2k extra tax.