An online petition has been launched calling
for reduced car tax for cars from the nineties and naughties
to save them from scrappage and make them affordable "classics"
for younger enthusiasts. But there is another group who are
keen to buy them - daily users driving in low emission zones
who want to buy a low cost car to avoid the burden of paying
daily LEZ charges in urban areas which can exceed £3,000pa.
So some owners as classic car enthusiasts might
do modest annual milages but other daily users could clock up
high annual mileages.
This petition highlights a growing movement to protect "modern
classics" from being scrapped due to high taxation, arguing
for a more nuanced approach that encourages the preservation
of older, functional vehicles.
Historic
vehicle tax exemption
You
can apply to stop paying for vehicle tax from 1st April 2026
if your vehicle was built before 1st January 1985. You must
tax your vehicle even if you do not have to pay.
What does "you must tax your vehicle even if you do not
have to pay" mean? If the DVLA has accepted your application
to change the tax class of your eligible vehicle to "Historic",
and has amended your vehicle's V5C to "Historic",
then with that change it means you have to renew your road
tax annually at the NIL VED rate. The exemption is
available on a rolling 40 year basis for vehicles built 40
years ago and more. "Built before 1st January 1985"
effectively means built in 1984 up to and including 31st December
1984
GOV.UK webpage on historic vehicle tax exemption: Link
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Reduce
Vehicle Excise Duty by 50% for vehicles aged 20 to 39 years
The petition was opened on Friday 6th February 2026 with
a Signature Deadline on
Thursday 6th August 2026. Petition
link
Petition says:
"Introduce a 50% VED reduction for cars aged 20–39.
High taxes force functional vehicles to be scrapped, creating
a "disposable" culture. Keeping existing cars is greener
than building new ones, as it preserves embedded carbon. This
"Young-Timer" bracket supports the circular economy
and UK heritage.
Manufacturing
a new car creates massive carbon debt. We must move from a
"disposable" car culture to a circular economy.
Keeping a functional 20-year-old car on the road is often
greener than building a new one, as it preserves the embedded
carbon already spent. Current VED rates force many well-maintained
cars to be scrapped prematurely. We call for a 50% "Transition
to Historic" tax discount to encourage repair, support
the UK heritage industry, and reflect the low mileage of modern
classics".
All-Party Parliamentary Group, Historic Vehicles
The Chair of the Group, David Simmonds MP, feels it is unlikely
UK Government ministers will seriously consider this petition.
Federation for British Historic Vehicle Clubs
The FBHVC is reported as saying "the Federation aspires
to persuade the UK Government to extend the present VED exemption
for vehicles 40 years old and over to 30 years in line with
the international definition of historic vehicles, however
seeking a 20 plus reduced VED benefits has not been contemplated".
It adds the official DVLA data show the sheer number of vehicles
that would be included in a 20 plus reduction in the eligibility
for a VED reduction, and with their continued use as everyday
transport, the Federation would find it hard to challenge
a Treasury view those vehicles are not "heritage or historic
vehicles".
Petition
response
So far just over 38,000 have signed up supporting the petition.
At 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for
debate in Parliament. Current
signatures
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