Every car that is driven or parked on a UK public road is required by law to be insured and taxed.
If you are not planning to drive your car for a period of time, then you can save money on insurance and road tax by applying for a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) from the government. Once your vehicle is declared SORN it must be kept off road (not on a public road).
Once your car is declared SORN, you will receive a refund for any full months of road tax you have paid. If you have an annual motor insurance policy then you may also be able to claim a refund on any outstanding months of unused insurance (subject to cancellation fees).
To declare your car as SORN you need to visit: https://www.gov.uk/make-a-sorn
You will need either:
- 11-digit number in your vehicle log book (V5C)
- 16-digit reference number on your vehicle tax reminder
There is no fee to pay.
Putting your SORN vehicle back on the road
To put a SORN vehicle back on the road you simply need to re-tax and insure it.
To tax the vehicle, you will need an MOT certificate. If your vehicle’s MOT certificate has expired, then you can use temporary car insurance to insure your vehicle to go to and from a pre-booked MOT appointment.
You could face court prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500 if you use your vehicle on the road for any other reason.
To tax your vehicle visit: https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax
Other reasons for making a SORN declaration
You must make a SORN in any of the following situations:
- your vehicle is not taxed
- your vehicle is not insured (even for a short time, for example because there’s a delay renewing your policy)
- you want to break a vehicle down for parts before you scrap it
- you buy or receive a vehicle and want to keep it off the road (you cannot transfer a SORN from the previous keeper)
