SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification)
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To SORN a car allows you to stop paying the tax and insurance but you must take the vehicle ‘off the road’
What is to SORN a car?
If you have to take your car off the road, for any reason, you don’t have to worry about paying tax and insuring it. This makes sense: why should you?!
However, you can’t just take it off the road and hope for the best – you need to make a SORN to the DVLA.
We’re going to run through what a SORN is, when you might do it, and how to do it.
When should I make a SORN?
Simply, you need to make a SORN claim in any of the following circumstances:
- Your car isn’t taxed
- You aren’t insured
- You buy or receive a vehicle and want to keep it off the road. (a SORN can’t transfer – you’ll need to make a new SORN claim as the new owner).
If you don’t have SORN, you need to be paying your insurance and road tax. If you don’t, you’re breaking the law and could be fined £80 for not having a SORN – as well as a charge for having an uninsured vehicle!
It’s free to declare SORN, so don’t take the risk!
How do I make a SORN?
It’s super simple to make a SORN online.
All you need is your vehicle V5C to hand, then just head to the GOV UK website to make a SORN!
You can do it online (which is the fastest), or you can print off a document and send it away in the post. There’s also an option to do it over the phone!
Can I drive a vehicle that has a SORN?
No! The only scenario where you can legally drive a car that’s SORN is if you’re driving to or from an MOT test. If you drive for any other reason, you could face a fine of up to £2500.
Do I get a vehicle tax refund if I make a SORN?
After you have SORN, You’ll get any vehicle tax refund due for any full remaining months within six weeks of making a SORN.
How will anyone know if I don’t SORN a vehicle?
You’ll get caught out – don’t risk it. The Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) makes regular comparisons between the driver and vehicle records held by the DVLA.
As such, they’ll quickly pick up that you have a vehicle that hasn’t been insured and hasn’t been declared SORN!
You’ll typically get a warning letter. If you don’t take action, you’ll face:
- A £100 fixed penalty notice.
- Your vehicle being clamped, impounded, or destroyed.
- A court prosecution with the maximum of a £1,000 fine.
