A SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) tells DVLA you've taken a vehicle off the road, so you can stop taxing and insuring it. You can make one online, by phone or by post, it never needs renewing, and GOV.UK says not having one when you need it brings an automatic 80 pounds fine, as of Nov 2026.
Whether a car's waiting for repairs, laid up for winter or sitting on the drive until you decide what to do with it, a SORN is how you stop paying tax on it legally. It takes minutes online, but there are a few timing rules that decide when it starts, and one situation where you need one that most people never think of.
What off the road means to DVLA
GOV.UK's When you need to make a SORN guide says your vehicle is off the road if you don't keep or use it on a public road, for example if it's in a garage, on a drive or on private land. If it's parked on a public street, it isn't off the road, and it needs tax and insurance.
Situations where you must make one
You must make a SORN if any of these apply:
- your vehicle isn't taxed
- your vehicle isn't insured, even for a short time
- 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 can't transfer a SORN from the previous keeper)
You don't need a SORN for a vehicle you've already sold, even if you've been sent a vehicle tax reminder for it. Tell DVLA you've sold it instead, and you'll get confirmation that you no longer have it. If you don't have a SORN, you must tax and insure the vehicle.
The insurance gap that needs a SORN
Here's the rule that catches careful owners. GOV.UK's When you need to make a SORN guide lists an uninsured vehicle as a SORN situation even for a short time, and gives the example of a delay renewing your policy. So if your cover lapses for a few days between policies on a car you keep off the road, the guide says you must make a SORN, or tax and insure it. If you don't, you'll automatically be fined 80 pounds for not having a SORN, and there's a separate fine for having an uninsured vehicle.
How to make a SORN online
- Make sure the vehicle is registered in your name. If it isn't, use the post route below.
- Find either the 11-digit number in your vehicle log book (V5C) or the 16-digit reference number on your vehicle tax reminder. The reminder can be a letter (V11), an email or a text message.
- Start the Register your vehicle as off the road (SORN) service on GOV.UK when you're ready to take the vehicle off the road.
- Expect any refund for full months of remaining tax to come automatically.
If your address on the log book is wrong, change it online first, then register the vehicle as off the road. You can also update it by post: write your new address in section 3 of a new style log book (the one with multi-coloured numbered blocks on the front cover) or section 6 of the older style, and send it with a filled in V890 form to DVLA.
Phone, post and missing log books
| How you apply | What GOV.UK says to do |
|---|---|
| By phone | Call the DVLA vehicle service on 0300 123 4321, a 24-hour service |
| By post | Send a V890 form to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR |
| Vehicle not registered in your name | Fill in the right part of the log book and send it with a V890 form |
| No log book | Send a V62 log book application with a V890 form; a new log book costs 25 pounds |
By post you can SORN the vehicle in the current month or either of the two months after it. If you're applying ahead, include a letter saying why you can't send the form nearer the time. If the original log book was lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, you can get a duplicate.
When the SORN starts and ends
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Your vehicle tax has already expired | The SORN starts immediately |
| You're applying in a month when your tax isn't due to expire | The SORN starts immediately |
| You're applying in the month your tax is due to expire | The SORN starts on the first day of the following month |
| You tax the vehicle again | The SORN is cancelled automatically |
| You sell, permanently export or scrap the vehicle | The SORN is cancelled automatically |
| The vehicle leaves the UK | The SORN stops being valid |
You can't backdate a SORN, and you don't need to renew one: it lasts until one of the events above. You can check any vehicle's SORN status online, which is handy before you buy a car that's been laid up.
Driving a SORN vehicle to its MOT
You can't use the vehicle on the road until you tax it again, with one exception. GOV.UK says you can only drive a vehicle with a SORN on a public road to go to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment. Use it on the road for any other reason and you could face prosecution in court and a fine of up to 2,500 pounds.
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When it's ready to come back, tax and insure it first. This guide to the average cost of car insurance helps you price cover, these ways to cut your insurance premium can bring it down, and these car care tips help after a long lay-up.
My advice on taking a car off the road
Make the SORN the day the car stops being used, not when the tax runs out, so the refund covers every full month. Keep the confirmation, check the status on GOV.UK's Register your vehicle as off the road (SORN) service, and don't move the car on a public road unless it's going to a booked MOT.
Frequently asked questions
What does SORN stand for?
Statutory Off Road Notification. It tells DVLA you're keeping a vehicle off the road.
Do I need to renew a SORN every year?
No. A SORN doesn't need renewing and stays in place until you tax, sell, scrap or permanently export the vehicle.
Do I get a tax refund when I make a SORN?
Yes. You'll automatically get a refund for any full months of remaining vehicle tax.
Can I drive a car with a SORN?
Only on a public road to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment. Otherwise you could face prosecution and a fine of up to 2,500 pounds.
What is the fine for not having a SORN?
You're automatically fined 80 pounds if you don't have a SORN and the vehicle isn't taxed and insured, as of Nov 2026.
Can I keep a SORN vehicle on the street?
No. Off the road means it isn't kept or used on a public road, for example it's in a garage, on a drive or on private land.
