A SORN is a Statutory Off-Road Notification and is used to inform the DVLA of vehicles that are registered as off the road. A vehicle that is registered as off the road cannot be driven on a public road.
If you have a vehicle and have no intention of driving it on the road you must inform the DVLA by registering the vehicle as off the road.
Once you declare the vehicle as off-road you will no longer have to
insure or tax the vehicle. If you do not have a SORN and your car is
sitting in your garage or on your driveway you will still need to pay
tax, insurance and have a valid MOT.
You will also need a SORN if you are going to break your vehicle down
for parts before it is scrapped.
If you buy a car from a previous owner, you can't transfer your SORN, even if there is one already in place you will have to complete a new SORN in your own name.
Until you officially declare a vehicle off the road you will be liable for an £80 fine if you don't have an insurance policy. It is a legal requirement under Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) that your vehicles are covered by insurance at all times.
When you have fully registered your vehicle for a SORN you will be eligible to receive a refund on any full months of tax remaining on the vehicle.
When you are officially registered to have a SORN it will not need to be renewed. Your SORN will remain indefinitely or until the vehicle is scrapped, sold or exported outside of the UK.
If you already have a vehicle registered to you, you can apply for a SORN by contacting the DVLA. If you wish to contact by phone, you can use the telephone number: 0300 123 4321 with it's 24-hour service. You may use the government website to apply or by post where you will have to complete a V890 application form and send it to the DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR.
Your SORN will be activated immediately when you use your V5C reference to apply either by phone or online. There will be an 11-digit number in your V5C logbook which you will use to take the vehicle off the road. If you use your V11 reference to apply online or by phone it will be activated on the first day of the next month. If you apply by post, it will start on the date you have put on the form.
Getting your car back on the road
If you wish to get your car back onto the road after declaring a SORN, it's quite straightforward. First of all, the vehicle will need to be taxed again, this can be done by contacting the DVLA, remember you will need the 11-digit reference number from the V5C. Your vehicle must also be insured again, so make sure that you have a valid car insurance before driving. Last of all you will need to make sure that your vehicle has an up-to-date MOT, so if the SORN was applied due to a failed test or your MOT has expired while off the road your vehicle will need to be tested again.