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HMRC internal manual

Hydrocarbon Oils Strategy

HCOS1450 - Introduction: fuel for excepted vehicles and machines

Certain types of vehicles and machines, when being used for a particular purpose, can use rebated fuel (like red diesel). These are known as 'excepted machines'. 

The types of vehicle that can use red diesel are:

  • vehicles designed to operate on a railway
  • mowing machines
  • agricultural vehicles
  • special vehicles 
  • unlicensed, including SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) vehicles

Agricultural, special, and unlicensed vehicles can only use rebated fuels when being used for qualifying purposes, for example:

  • for agricultural, horticultural, aquatic farming, or forestry
  • on land maintained by a community amateur sports club (CASC)
  • on a golf course or driving range
  • on land occupied by a travelling fair or travelling curcus

Not all the qualifying purposes apply to all the vehicle types.