How to SORN a car

Thursday 21st October 2021

Wondering how to declare a car as ‘off the road’? Our helpful guide advises you on what SORN actually means, how to SORN your vehicle, how much it costs and what to do when you want to cancel your SORN.

What does SORN mean?

SORN – otherwise known as ‘Statutory Off Road Notification – refers to when you alert the DLVA that you’re taking your vehicle ‘off the road’. This could mean keeping your car in a garage, for example, and not using this vehicle on the roads for a certain period of time. Once you have made a SORN for your car, you are not legally allowed to drive this vehicle on the road until you tax it again.

It’s important to note that any car that is being used, or parked, on a public highway is legally required to have road tax. This means if you are temporarily, or permanently, storing your car off-road and not using it to drive on roads, you need to inform the government through making a SORN. If you are caught driving a vehicle that is not taxed, you could risk having your vehicle seized and/or be fined up to £2,500.

How to SORN a vehicle

Simply go to GOV.UK to make a SORN.

You can choose when your SORN should start - this could be immediately, or on the first day of the next month. For either of these options, you will need your V5C 11-digit number, which can be found in your vehicle logbook.

The process should be relatively straight forward – however, if the vehicle is not registered in your name, or you do not have a logbook, you will need to fill out the appropriate forms to apply for your vehicle SORN.

Other ways you can SORN a vehicle include:

• By post – sending your application form to DVLA
• By phone – on 0300 123 4321 (DVLA vehicle service call line)

Learn more about both of these options from GOV.UK.

How much does it cost to SORN a car?

It doesn’t cost anything to declare your vehicle as ‘off the road’. You just need to ensure you’re prepared with your 11-digit V5C number (found in your logbook), or the 16-digit reference number on your tax renewal letter.

Once you SORN your vehicle, you will also receive a tax refund for any full months of remaining tax. However, it’s important to note that you cannot use your vehicle on the road again until you re-tax it.

How long does a SORN last?

Generally, SORNs on a vehicle last indefinitely – for as long as you require them to. There is no need to update or renew a SORN on your car until you intend to declare it ‘on the road’ again, you wish to sell it, or you wish to scrap it. However, it’s important to note that SORN does not transfer between owners – so, if you buy a vehicle that already has a SORN made by the previous owner, this will automatically expire when you buy the vehicle.

How to un-SORN a vehicle

There are a number of things you need to do to un-SORN your vehicle:

• Tax – you will need to tax your vehicle in order to cancel your SORN, and allow your vehicle to be legally allowed back on the road. You can do this here at GOV.UK. As soon as you do this, your SORN will expire.
• Insure – next, you need to ensure that your vehicle has been insured so you are legally allowed to drive it on the roads. Your previous provider will be able to provide you with a quote, but it may also be beneficial to shop around to see what the best price could be.
• MOT – it’s likely that while your car has been off the roads, it’s annual MOT has been surpassed. Book in for your MOT as soon as you want to start driving again to ensure any fixes are resolved quickly so you can get back on the road as soon as possible.
• Service – your car may have been out of action for a long time and, although servicing isn’t a legal requirement, your motor may need a bit of TLC. Book in for an interim or full service at your local garage before you get back on the road.

For any more information about maintaining your vehicle after SORN, get in touch with our team of motoring experts today.