What is
SORN?
Statutory Off Road Notification, explained.
SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. It is the official way to tell the DVLA that your vehicle is being kept off public roads - meaning you are not required to pay road tax while it is off the road.
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What does SORN mean?
SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. It is a formal declaration made to the DVLA confirming that your vehicle is being kept off public roads - typically in a private garage, on a driveway or on private land.
When a vehicle is SORNed, you are not required to pay Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) for as long as it remains off the road. However, the vehicle cannot be driven or kept on a public road. If it is, you could face a fixed penalty of £80 or a court prosecution, which can result in a fine of up to £2,500.
Declaring a SORN is free and takes just a few minutes. The quickest way is online via gov.uk. It can also be done by phone or post.
Once a SORN is in place, it remains until you either tax the vehicle, sell it, scrap it or export it. It does not expire after a set period.
When do you need to SORN a car?
You may need to declare a SORN if:
- You are storing a car that you do not intend to use for an extended period.
- The vehicle has failed its MOT and cannot be driven on the road until repairs are completed.
- You are carrying out restoration work on a vehicle that will not be road-legal during that time.
- You want to stop paying road tax on a car that is not being used.
- You are cancelling your car insurance and the vehicle will not be driven.
Under Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) rules, every registered vehicle in the UK must be insured unless it has a valid SORN. If you cancel your insurance without declaring a SORN, the DVLA may issue an Insurance Advisory Letter and, if unresolved, a fixed penalty notice.
If you are unsure whether your car is currently showing as insured on the Motor Insurance Database, you can check using the askMID (Navigate) service before making any decisions about cancelling cover.
How to SORN a car with the DVLA
Declaring a SORN is straightforward and free. The quickest way is online at gov.uk/make-a-sorn. You will need the vehicle's registration number and either the 11-digit reference number from your V5C (log book), or the 16-digit number from a V11 road tax reminder letter.
You can also declare SORN by phone by calling the DVLA on 0300 123 4321, or by post using the V890 form. When declared online or by phone, the SORN takes effect immediately. By post, it takes effect from the date the DVLA receives the form.
Once declared, the DVLA will automatically refund any full remaining months of unused road tax. This is usually returned within four to six weeks. You should also receive a confirmation letter from the DVLA.
There is no fee for declaring a SORN and no renewal required - the SORN remains active until the vehicle's status changes.
How to unSORN a car
There is no form or fee to unSORN a car - the SORN ends automatically the moment you tax the vehicle. Taking a vehicle off SORN is simply a case of getting it road-legal again, in the right order:
- Arrange insurance, so the vehicle is covered from the moment it is driven
- Book an MOT if the certificate has expired - driving to a pre-booked MOT test is the one journey allowed without tax
- Tax the vehicle online, by phone or at a Post Office using your V5C or V11 reference number
Once the tax is issued, the SORN is removed and the car can go back on the road. If you only need the vehicle covered for a short period - for example, to get it to a garage or while you decide whether to keep it - temporary car insurance can cover it from one hour up to several weeks.
SORN and car insurance
A SORNed vehicle does not legally need to be insured - but there are important points to consider before cancelling your policy. Inheriting a vehicle is another common reason to consider this - our guide on legally moving a vehicle after a bereavement walks through the practical insurance picture.
If your vehicle is stored on private land and you are confident it poses no risk of damage while off the road, cancelling insurance during the SORN period is an option. However, a standard car insurance policy will not cover damage caused by fire, flood, theft or vandalism to a vehicle without active cover in place. Some insurers offer a specific laid-up policy for vehicles in storage.
It is also worth understanding how SORN interacts with taxing a vehicle. Our guide to whether you can tax a car with temporary insurance covers this in more detail.
If you are concerned about whether you can insure a car without a valid MOT - for example before you can bring a SORN vehicle back on the road - that guide explains your options.
Taking a SORNed car
back on the road.
Three things must be in place: insurance, MOT, and tax.
Before you can legally drive a SORNed vehicle on a public road again, you must have three things in place: valid insurance, a current MOT (for vehicles over three years old) and valid road tax. The SORN ends automatically when you tax the vehicle.
You cannot drive a SORNed car to a garage or MOT centre without insurance and tax - doing so would mean driving an uninsured, untaxed vehicle. The one exception is driving to a pre-booked MOT test, where there is a specific legal exemption. In all other cases, the vehicle must be fully covered before it moves.
If you need short-term cover to get a stored car back on the road - for example to drive it to a garage or while you arrange annual insurance - temporary car insurance can be arranged quickly and is available from as little as one hour. Comprehensive cover is included as standard. Documents are available immediately after purchase and you can get a quote in under a minute.
Frequently asked questions
How do I SORN my car online?
Go to the DVLA's make a SORN service on gov.uk and enter the 11-digit reference from the vehicle's V5C log book, or the 16-digit reference from a V11 tax reminder. The SORN takes effect immediately and the DVLA automatically refunds any full remaining months of road tax.
How do I unSORN my car?
There is no separate unSORN process. Insure the vehicle, make sure it has a valid MOT if it needs one, then tax it online, by phone or at a Post Office. The SORN ends automatically as soon as the tax is issued, and the car can be driven again.
How long does a SORN last?
A SORN lasts indefinitely. It stays in place until you tax the vehicle, sell it, scrap it or permanently export it - there is no expiry date and nothing to renew. It does not transfer with the vehicle, so a new keeper must make their own SORN or tax the car.
Does it cost anything to SORN a car?
No. Declaring a SORN with the DVLA is free, whether you do it online, by phone or by post. Be wary of unofficial websites that charge a fee for passing your details on - the official gov.uk service is the safe route and costs nothing.
Can I SORN a car I have just bought?
Yes. If the V5C is not yet in your name, use the reference number from the green new keeper slip to make the SORN. A SORN made by the previous keeper does not carry over when a vehicle changes hands, so do not assume the car is still covered by their notification.
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Top tip
Your SORN ends automatically the moment you tax the vehicle - there's no separate step to undo it. Just make sure cover and a valid MOT are already in place before you tax it.