Nissan Micra road tax bands fall into one of three systems depending on when the car was first registered, with annual costs typically between £20 and £230. Pre-2001 cars are taxed by engine size, models registered from March 2001 to March 2017 sit in CO2-based lettered bands starting at £20, and anything registered from April 2017 onward pays a flat £200 standard rate after the first year.
Micras Registered Before 1 March 2001
For older Micras, the tax rate depends entirely on engine capacity, with 1,549cc as the dividing line:
- 1,549cc or under: £230 per year
- Over 1,549cc: £375 per year
Almost every Micra from this period was sold with a 1.0-litre or 1.3-litre engine, both well under the 1,549cc cut-off. That puts nearly all pre-2001 Micras at the £230 rate.1GOV.UK. Vehicle Tax Rates: Cars and Light Goods Vehicles Registered Before 1 March 2001
Micras Registered Between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017
For this window, tax is based on CO2 emissions. Each car sits in a lettered band from A upward, with Band A (up to 100 g/km) charged at £20 a year, the lowest rate available under this system. No Micra from this era qualifies for a zero-rate band.2GOV.UK. Vehicle Tax Rates: Cars Registered Between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017
The Micra K12 (roughly 2002–2010) and K13 (roughly 2010–2017) generations typically produce between 99 and 125 g/km, depending on engine and trim. The most efficient 1.2-litre versions sit right at the edge of Band A; others land a few bands higher. The exact band comes down to the CO2 figure recorded when the car was first registered, which is on the V5C or available through the GOV.UK vehicle enquiry service.3GOV.UK. Get Vehicle Information From DVLA
Micras Registered On or After 1 April 2017
Cars from this period follow a two-tier structure. There’s a one-off CO2-based first-year rate, then a flat standard rate of £200 a year from the second year onward.4GOV.UK. Vehicle Tax Rates: Cars Registered on or After 1 April 2017
The Micra K14 is the only generation sold new in this period. Emissions typically run between 99 and 126 g/km. Early models with the naturally aspirated 1.0-litre engine sit around 103–108 g/km, and later turbocharged IG-T variants under WLTP testing come in around 120–126 g/km. That puts most petrol Micras in one of these first-year bands:
- 91 to 100 g/km: £365 first-year rate
- 101 to 110 g/km: £405 first-year rate
- 111 to 130 g/km: £455 first-year rate
If you’re buying a used K14, the first-year rate was already paid by the original registered keeper. Your ongoing cost is £200 a year regardless of the emissions band the car originally fell into.4GOV.UK. Vehicle Tax Rates: Cars Registered on or After 1 April 2017
How To Check Your Micra’s Tax Band
The fastest way is the free GOV.UK vehicle enquiry service. Enter the registration number and it returns the current tax rate, the date tax expires, the CO2 figure, engine size, and fuel type. That’s everything needed to confirm which band applies, and the seller’s registration number is all you need if you’re checking a car before buying.3GOV.UK. Get Vehicle Information From DVLA
The same details are on the V5C registration certificate. The date of first registration tells you which of the three systems applies. Engine capacity in cubic centimetres matters for pre-2001 cars; for anything newer, the CO2 emissions reading is in section V.7 of the document.
Payment Options and the Direct Debit Surcharge
You can pay in a single annual lump sum, a single six-month payment, or by monthly direct debit. The annual lump sum is always the cheapest option. Monthly and six-monthly direct debits add a 5% surcharge, and the six-month single payment carries roughly a 10% premium over half the annual rate.
For a post-2017 Micra at the £200 standard rate, paying monthly by direct debit works out at £210 across the year. For a pre-2001 Micra at £230, the direct debit total is £241.50.1GOV.UK. Vehicle Tax Rates: Cars and Light Goods Vehicles Registered Before 1 March 2001
Buying a Used Micra: Tax Does Not Transfer
One thing worth flagging if you’re pricing up a used Micra. When ownership changes, the existing tax does not carry over. The seller gets an automatic refund for any full months remaining, and you have to tax the car in your own name before driving it on a public road.5GOV.UK. Tell DVLA You’ve Sold, Transferred or Bought a Vehicle If you haven’t yet received a V5C in your name, you can tax the car using the 12-digit reference number on the new keeper slip torn from the seller’s V5C.6GOV.UK. Tax Your Vehicle Without a Vehicle Tax Reminder