How to SORN your car with the DVLA and avoid hefty fines

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If your car has been off the road for a long time, it may also need a fresh MoT in order to legally and safely return to the road. A service will keep it in fine mechanical fettle, too.

How to SORN your car with the DVLA and avoid hefty fines

Cars built more than 40 years ago won’t need an MoT test officially, but we still recommend that you get it professionally checked anyway to make sure it’s safe to be used on the road.

It’s worth noting that if you are driving to the MoT test station (you are allowed to drive an unMoT’d and/or untaxed car to a pre-booked test), make sure you have the correct insurance to cover your journey and have checked that your tyres, brakes, steering and lights are still in working order before heading out on the road.

Can I SORN a car without the V5C logbook?

To SORN a car, you’ll need the 11-digit reference from the car’s V5C logbook. If you don’t have a V5C logbook, you’ll need a new one before you can SORN your car. To do this, you’ll need to fill out a V62 form along with your V890 form. There is a £25 fee for a new logbook.

Can I SORN a car and park it on the street?

No, you cannot SORN any vehicle that is parked on the street, as it would technically be using the road. This includes street parking in front of residential properties. A SORN car must be parked in a garage or on private land.

Is it illegal to drive a car that’s SORN?

It may occasionally be tempting to take a SORN vehicle for a spin – for example, if it’s been off the road for extended repairs and you want to road-test it, or you’ve just got back from an extended stay overseas. 

However, unless you are on your way to a pre-booked MoT or other government checks, this is against the law. If you are caught, the authorities will take a very dim view. You could face prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500. 

What happens if you don’t SORN a car?

If you fail to make a SORN declaration, the DVLA will know when your road tax expires, and the organisation can cross-reference with the national insurance database to find out which vehicles do not have valid cover.

A warning letter will be sent, and if you fail to take action, an automatic fixed penalty fine will be issued by post – it’s £80 if your road tax has expired (reduced to £40 if you pay within 28 days), or £100 if your car is uninsured.

If you fail to settle-up, you’ll be facing court prosecution, at which point magistrates could raise the fine to £1,000 – plus court costs – for either tax or insurance.

Don’t rely on the DVLA sending you a warning letter though, as they’re not actually obliged to do so. Even if you think you should have had a letter but it hasn’t arrived, you’re still responsible in law for the offence and liable to be fined.

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