My Garage

Popular searches

South East · District council

Dover motoring statistics

How many cars and electric cars are registered in Dover, which fuels they use, how many public chargers there are and how Dover compares with the South East. From DVLA licensing records, DfT charger statistics and ONS population estimates.

Last updated
Records analysed
76,790 licensed vehicles in Dover
Methodology
View methodology
  • Licensed cars 62,448 +1.2% on a year earlier
  • Private cars per 1,000 people 499 UK 444
  • Battery electric cars 1,896 3.0% of cars (UK 5.8%)
  • Electric share of private cars 2.6% 106th lowest of 361 councils
  • Public chargers 164 137 per 100,000 people (UK 175)
  • Company-registered cars 4.2% UK 10.0%

How many cars are there in Dover?

There were 62,448 licensed cars in Dover at the end of June 2026, and 76,790 licensed vehicles of all kinds. That is 22.0% more cars than in 2010. Privately kept cars work out at 499 for every 1,000 residents, 166th highest of 361 councils (UK 444).

Licensed vehicles in Dover

Counts at the end of March each year, 2010 to 2026.

Licensed cars and vehicles in Dover at the end of March each year
Year All vehiclesCars
2010 61,45851,174
2011 61,70051,357
2012 61,94451,599
2013 62,74552,265
2014 64,20053,495
2015 64,47653,803
2016 66,01854,965
2017 67,91456,352
2018 68,76857,018
2019 70,09157,838
2020 70,14758,012
2021 72,44859,263
2022 72,81659,406
2023 73,63759,962
2024 74,63460,761
2025 75,70361,681
2026 76,79062,448

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Licensed vehicles by type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Cars per 1,000 residents

All licensed cars at the end of June, divided by the ONS mid-year population. Company fleets registered locally push this up.

Cars per 1,000 residents at mid-year, Dover compared
Year DoverSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2011 460534–
2012 463535–
2013 467541–
2014 475547–
2015 478551473
2016 485559480
2017 493567488
2018 495570490
2019 499572493
2020 500561489
2021 509564493
2022 506565489
2023 505567489
2024 507570490

Source:ONS Mid-2024 Updated

Petrol, diesel and electric cars in Dover

55.8% of cars in Dover run on petrol and 32.9% on diesel. Diesel’s share peaked at 39.0% in 2020. Hybrids that do not plug in make up 6.3%, and cars that plug in 4.7%.

Cars by fuel type

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Fuel mix over time

Share of licensed cars at the end of March each year.

Share of licensed cars by fuel type in Dover, end of March each year
Year PetrolDieselHybridBattery electricPlug-in hybrid
2010 72.4%27.3%0.1%0.0%0.0%
2011 70.7%29.0%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2012 68.9%30.7%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2013 67.1%32.5%0.2%0.0%0.0%
2014 65.2%34.4%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2015 63.7%35.8%0.3%0.0%0.0%
2016 62.4%37.0%0.4%0.0%0.0%
2017 61.5%37.7%0.5%0.1%0.1%
2018 60.8%38.2%0.6%0.1%0.1%
2019 60.3%38.5%0.8%0.2%0.2%
2020 59.5%39.0%1.0%0.2%0.2%
2021 58.9%39.0%1.4%0.4%0.3%
2022 58.3%38.5%1.8%0.7%0.5%
2023 57.7%37.8%2.5%1.1%0.6%
2024 57.1%36.8%3.6%1.5%0.8%
2025 56.7%34.8%4.9%2.1%1.2%
2026 55.8%32.9%6.3%3.0%1.7%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Electric cars in Dover

1,896 battery electric cars were licensed in Dover at the end of June 2026, 3.0% of all cars, 71st lowest of 361 councils. With plug-in hybrids, 2,932 cars plug in. A year earlier there were 1,312.

Of the privately kept cars, which are registered at home addresses, 2.6% are battery electric (1,552 cars), 14th lowest of 64 councils in the South East. Companies keep 18.1% of the area’s battery electric cars, against 4.2% of its cars overall. There are also 58 battery electric vans.

Battery electric share of licensed cars

End of March each year. Fleet re-registrations can move a single area’s line sharply.

Battery electric share of licensed cars, Dover compared, end of March each year
Year DoverSouth EastUnited Kingdom
2016 0.0%0.1%0.1%
2017 0.1%0.1%0.1%
2018 0.1%0.2%0.1%
2019 0.2%0.3%0.2%
2020 0.2%0.5%0.4%
2021 0.4%1.1%0.8%
2022 0.7%2.2%1.5%
2023 1.1%3.3%2.3%
2024 1.5%4.5%3.2%
2025 2.1%6.4%4.4%
2026 3.0%9.3%5.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated

Public EV chargers in Dover

There were 164 public chargers in Dover on 1 July 2026, 73 of them rapid or ultra-rapid (50kW and above). That is 137 for every 100,000 residents, 173rd lowest of 361 councils, against 175 across the UK. The count rose 5.1% from 1 January 2026.

For every public charger there are 15.2 privately kept plug-in cars in Dover (UK 12.9), 153rd fewest of 361 councils. A higher number means more competition for each public charger, though many drivers charge at home.

Public chargers

Public EV chargers in Dover by date
Date All public chargers50kW and above
Jan 2026 15673
Apr 2026 16473
Jul 2026 16473

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Chargers per 100,000 residents

Public chargers per 100,000 residents, Dover compared
Area All chargers50kW and above
Dover 13761
Kent 12844
South East 15940
England 17341
UK 17542

Source:DfT 1 July 2026 Updated

Electric cars by neighbourhood

Dover has 14 ONS neighbourhoods (middle layer super output areas, about 7,000 residents each). In the typical one, 2.3% of privately kept vehicles are battery electric; in the highest, 3.6%. ONS names neighbourhoods by council and number, not by place name.

Neighbourhoods in Dover with the highest battery electric share of privately kept vehicles
Neighbourhood (MSOA) Private vehicles Battery electric Electric share Plug-in share
Dover 009 5,171 188 3.6% 5.9%
Dover 010 6,895 219 3.2% 4.3%
Dover 008 5,195 143 2.8% 4.7%
Dover 001 5,830 157 2.7% 4.3%
Dover 003 4,218 112 2.7% 3.9%
Dover 006 5,642 148 2.6% 4.0%
Dover 002 6,526 163 2.5% 4.1%
Dover 007 4,277 88 2.1% 3.3%
Dover 014 4,712 97 2.1% 3.2%
Dover 005 5,419 104 1.9% 3.4%
Lowest electric shares
Dover 011 5,894 13 0.2% 1.0%
Dover 013 3,661 22 0.6% 1.5%
Dover 012 3,572 42 1.2% 2.7%
Dover 004 3,226 52 1.6% 2.7%
Dover 005 5,419 104 1.9% 3.4%

Privately kept licensed vehicles of all types at the end of June 2026.

Road traffic and collisions in Dover

Reported injury collisions

Police-reported injury collisions in Dover, 2021 to 2025
Year CollisionsKilled or seriously injured
2021 22951
2022 23254
2023 22553
2024 19657
2025 19963

Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated

More road safety figures

Petrol and diesel prices in Dover

Unleaded petrol averages 175.2p a litre across 8 filling stations in Dover, 3.7p above the UK average. Diesel averages 199.3p, 0.6p above the UK average. Prices checked 31 Oct, 19:32.

Cheapest petrol

  1. Richborough Service Station Sandwich 166.9p
  2. Shell Asda Discovery Park Express Petrol Sandwich 173.9p
  3. Esso MFG Deal Deal 174.9p

Every filling station and price in Dover

How Dover compares

Dover compared with Kent, the South East, England, the UK
Dover 499 3.0% 2.6% 4.2% 137 15.2
Kent 498 3.7% 3.1% 4.9% 128 20.1
South East 499 9.3% 3.5% 18.5% 159 17.7
England 440 6.2% 3.2% 10.7% 173 13.4
United Kingdom4445.8%3.1%10.0%17512.9

Private cars per 1,000 people use the ONS mid-2024 population. Chargers are counted at the latest date; plug-in cars at the end of June 2026.

Driving test centres in Dover

There is no DVSA car practical test centre in Dover. The nearest centres are elsewhere in Kent.

Centres in Kent:

DVSA publishes pass rates by centre name, with no address, so centres are placed here by the place name in the name DVSA uses. See pass rates at every test centre.

Councils in Kent

Sorted by battery electric share of cars. Select a column heading to sort by it.

Councils in Kent
Dartford 443 4.5% 3.7% 5.6% 194 14.2
Sevenoaks 554 4.5% 3.9% 4.9% 95 39.0
Tonbridge and Malling 534 4.4% 3.6% 5.9% 128 24.8
Tunbridge Wells 518 4.0% 3.4% 3.8% 113 27.2
Canterbury 458 3.9% 3.1% 4.8% 162 14.1
Ashford 516 3.8% 3.1% 4.7% 145 18.1
Maidstone 520 3.7% 3.1% 4.4% 83 32.5
Gravesham 465 3.2% 2.6% 5.6% 78 28.8
Swale 497 3.2% 2.7% 5.4% 107 20.3
Dover 499 3.0% 2.6% 4.2% 137 15.2
Folkestone and Hythe 498 3.0% 2.5% 4.3% 211 9.9
Thanet 461 2.8% 2.2% 5.0% 98 17.1

Data stories to read next

All insights

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Licensed vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 76,790 licensed vehicles in Dover 26 October 2026
Plug-in and electric vehicles Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 3,026 plug-in vehicles 26 October 2026
Public chargers Electric vehicle public charging infrastructure statistics Department for Transport 1 July 2026 121,171 public chargers (UK) 26 October 2026
Population Mid-year population estimates Office for National Statistics Mid-2024 404 areas 26 October 2026
Neighbourhoods Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of June 2026 35,672 small areas (LSOAs) in England and Wales 26 October 2026
  • Coverage: licensing and charger figures cover the whole UK. Licensing figures in Dover run from the end of 2009.
  • Vehicles are counted at the registered keeper’s postcode: for company cars that is the company’s address, not where the car is driven.
  • Battery electric and plug-in counts come from table VEH0142; petrol, diesel and hybrid counts from VEH0105. “Other fuels” is VEH0105’s other-fuel count less plug-in cars.
  • Charger counts are based on Zapmap data and are official statistics in development. In June 2026 one operator removed about 1,270 private chargers wrongly listed as public, so April and July are not strictly comparable.
  • Neighbourhood figures cover England and Wales only; Scottish data zones and Northern Irish super data zones cannot be placed in councils without lookups we do not hold.
How we calculate these figures All data sources

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.