Find out why you might need a statutory off road notification (SORN), and how you can declare your car off road
The statutory off road notification (SORN) was introduced in 1998 so the owners of vehicles kept off road would not have to pay road tax.
See a range of car insurance quotes in just a few minutes when you compare with Uswitch
The SORN system was introduced to help police more easily identify uninsured and untaxed vehicles.
You might choose to SORN a car if you won’t be driving the car for an extended period:
If your car is not being used but is still being kept on a public road you will still need tax and insurance, even if the vehicle is not in use.
If your car is SORNed and kept off the road, it doesn’t need to be taxed or insured.
As it’s free to SORN your vehicle, a SORN could save you money on tax and insurance for periods your car’s not being used. However, you may still wish to insure a vehicle on SORN as this covers it against theft or damage from flood or fire.
If you’ve paid upfront for your tax and you decide to SORN it, you’ll get a refund for any remaining months you’ve paid tax for.
If your vehicle is not in use, you must SORN it and keep it off the road unless it is taxed and insured. You can check online if your car is taxed or on SORN.
All registered cars are recorded on the Motor Insurer’s Database (MID), and any owners whose cars are not insured or SORNed will automatically receive an Insurance Advisory Letter (IAL) in the first instance.
If you fail to SORN a vehicle that has no insurance you have an uninsured vehicle.
To SORN your car online, go to the gov.uk website. You will need:
You can also apply by post or phone.
Pick up a V890 form from your Post Office and send the completed form to the DVLA at DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR, or call 0300 123 4321.
Remember it is free to SORN a car, so be wary of any websites that offer to process your application for a fee.
Once a car is declared SORN, it cannot be driven on the road until the SORN is cancelled. You must pay the necessary road tax before using it on the road. You must insure it too.
SORN’s used to expire after a year. Once you have ‘un-SORNED’ your vehicle it must be insured before you can legally drive it.
To remove the SORN status from your vehicle, you simply need to tax it.
SORN status also expires once the car changes ownership or gets scrapped or permanently exported.
You can't transfer a SORN from a previous owner.
No you don’t, and remember, unless your car is SORNed, it must be insured. Compare car insurance quotes to get started.
Unless you have filled in a SORN for your car it still needs to be insured.
You will need to go onto the Gov.uk website and send an application for a log book (V62) and V890 form to the DVLA. A new log book costs £25.
Yes, you can find out via Gov.uk if a vehicle has up-to-date vehicle tax or has been registered as off the road (SORN) . It can take up to 5 working days for the records to update. You can also use ‘askMID’ to check if your vehicle is insured.
It will need to be parked in a garage or private driveway or private land.
You don’t need to own a car to get car insurance. Unlike a full car insurance policy you won’t build up a no claims bonus but it does mean you can drive someone else’s car, as long as you have their permission. If you are only planning on borrowing a car you can also compare quotes for short-term or temporary car insurance
If you are needing to insure several cars search multi-car insurance policies.
Multi insurance might also be suitable:
See a range of car insurance quotes in just a few minutes when you compare with Uswitch