There are lots of reasons why you may decide to apply for a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) for your vehicle. In the majority of cases it is because you do not intend to use it for a period of time and by applying for a SORN you can also save some money on taxing and insuring the vehicle – in fact you will even get a refund for any whole months that are left on your tax. There are other instances as well, such as wishing to use the car for parts before scrapping it, or if you have bought a vehicle which had a SORN and you intend to keep it off the road.
What is a SORN?
You must apply for a SORN if you are not going to tax or insure a vehicle, regardless of how short a time for. Your car must also be off the road and parked on a private driveway or garage during this time. Keeping your vehicle parked on a public road will still require it to be tax and insured. If the car is uninsured and untaxed you will be fined for not having a SORN as well as for not insuring the vehicle which could add up to a good chunk of money.
How and when do I apply for a SORN?
You can apply for a SORN online or over the phone and all you need is your V11 reminder or V5C (the log book). If you have just bought a car that was registered as SORN, this is not transferable so you must apply for a new SORN. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s website has full details on completing the necessary application form to register a vehicle as SORN.
When can I use my car again?
If you want to start using the vehicle again, all you need to do is tax it and the SORN is automatically removed. Don’t forget that in order to tax your vehicle it must have a valid MOT and insurance so you must sort those out first before registering it for tax again. If your vehicle’s MOT has expired and your SORN is in place that’s fine – you can drive it to and from an MOT test. In fact, this is the only time you can drive the car while it has been registered as SORN. Should the police stop you, explain you are heading to your MOT or returning from it once it has been done, and once they confirm this with the test centre you will be free to complete your journey.
Your SORN will also automatically expire if you sell the car; the new owner must apply for a new SORN if they want to continue keeping it off the road. Finally, it will expire if you decide to scrap or export the car.
Need some help or advice?
Still unsure or would like some help with deciding whether or not you need to SORN a vehicle? At Double Dee Autos we can advise and assist as well as help with any MOT-related queries to help get your car back on the road after a SORN. Just give us a call today on 020 8460 3040 and any one of our team of specialists will be able to help.