This series presents information on the numbers of unlicensed vehicles ‘in traffic’ and ‘in stock’, as well as their characteristics and the revenues lost through Vehicle Excise Duty evasion.

The Department’s estimates of Vehicle Excise Duty evasion are derived by directly observing registration marks from traffic at various sites around the country and comparing these with records held by the government licensing agencies (The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Agency (Northern Ireland).

Browse statistical releases within this series

• Vehicle excise duty evasion statistical releases

Browse statistical tables within this series

• Vehicle excise duty evasion statistical tables

Notes and guidance

The Department contributed to the roads policing operation V79, whose reports provides alternative estimates of both vehicle excise duty evasion and MOT non-compliance. The V79 operation involved police officers stopping vehicles at random on the road, and carrying out checks on a range of regulatory and documentary requirements for both the vehicle and its driver.

Any differences between figures published in V79 reports and those in this series are because of differences in methodology. However, it should be noted is that the V79 operation is based on a much smaller sample of vehicles, and its results are not treated as official statistics.

National Statistics

These statistics are National Statistics, and are currently being assessed by the United Kingdom Statistics Authority (UKSA). A final report is expected to be published in Summer 2011.

Pre-release access lists

These lists detail the post-holders that are given pre-release access for up to 24 hours prior to release.

• Pre-release access list (PDF – 18 KB)

Technical information

• Vehicle Excise Duty evasion guidance notes (PDF – 35 KB)
• Estimating vehicle excise duty evasion review (University of Southampton, 2007) (PDF – 321 KB)
• Review of vehicle excise duty evasion statistics (DfT response to above review) (PDF – 151 KB)

Background information

• Roads policing operation V79 report for 2008 (PDF – 402 KB)
• Vehicle licensing statistics
• MOT non-compliance statistics

External websites

• General information on vehicle taxation

Contact us

• vehicles.stats@dft.gsi.gov.uk
• Phone: 020 7944 3077