The new DVLA rules coming into force for drivers this week

New rules are set to come in force for UK drivers this week. Drivers in the UK have been warned it could soon become more expensive to travel as a slate of new rules and costs take effect later this week. From 1 March, there will be several changes to motoring that drivers should be aware of. These could be costly if not taken on board, with new expenses and even fines attached.

The HMRC has announced the new Advisory Fuel Rates which will come into affect on Saturday, introducing changes to company car rates. These are levels set by HMRC every quarter used to calculate reimbursement for employees using company cars for business travel.

For diesel cars with engines up to 1,600cc, the rate will rise from 11 to 12 pence per mile (ppm). For petrol vehicles with engine sizes between and 1,401-2,000cc, rates will rise from 14ppm to 15ppm. In better news for electric vehicle drivers, the advisory fuel rate for these vehicles will remain at just seven ppm. This lower cost is calculated using data from the Department for Energy and Net Zero.

The changes will take effect on Saturday 1 March, although previous rates can be used for up to one more month. On the same day, the new ‘25’ number plates will be introduced for newly-registered cars in the UK. This will signify that the vehicle was registered on or after 1 March 2025.

For any motorist looking to get a custom number plate, it is essential to know the rules around them. Failure to comply with the strict rules can carry a £1,000 fine and confiscation with no recompense. Crucially, although it might be tempting to get the latest edition, no driver can display a number plate which suggests their vehicle is newer than it is.

For instance, if a car was registered new on 2 March 2015, it could have a number plate with ‘15’ as its third and fourth characters. But it would not be allowed to have 16, 17, 18 and so on. New number plates are also revealed twice a year, once in March and once in September. The second release plates begin in a seven, so this year will have ‘75’ as the third and fourth characters. The rules around not displaying a number plate newer than the vehicle apply in this instance too.

There are also strict rules around the shape, font, colour, and visibility of a vehicle’s number plate on UK roads. The DVLA provides up to date rules and even its own personalised plate finder to ensure no driver falls foul of the rules. From 1 April, all electric vehicle owners will need to start paying a higher band of vehicle excise duty – or car tax. This will be £10 in the first year for cars registered after this date.

It remains significantly below the standard annual rates for other vehicles, at £190 for cars, £335 for vans and £25 for motorcycles. However, from April those with electric vehicles worth over £40,000 will also need to begin paying the Expensive Car Supplement which other car types have been subject to since 2017. This is a flat-rate sum added on top of car tax, and will be £195 in 2025.