How To SORN A Car

Looking to take a car off the road, possibly to add to a collection, you can declare it off-road and save on tax! This has a special name: statutory off-road notice (SORN). A SORN is essentially a licence that exempts your car from road tax, as long as it doesn’t enter any public road. Declaring a vehicle SORN can be reversed, but the process will take some time. With this in mind, you should take the time to decide whether you truly want your car off the road before taking any next steps.

👉 What Is SORN?
👉 When Might A SORN Be Used?
👉 Applying For SORN
👉 FAQs

What Is SORN?

SORN is a notice to the DVLA that your car is off-road and not going to be appearing on public roads in future. If you choose to SORN a car that has outstanding tax, this will be refunded, helping you recover some extra cash in the process. The term SORN can seem a little confusing at first, but it just means that you want to remove a car from the road.

When Might A SORN Be Used?

There’s a few different scenarios where you might want to declare your car off-road. Let’s take a look at each below.

• The car is uninsured. If you choose not to insure your car and drive it on the roads, you will face fines and penalties. If you aren’t looking to insure your car, you should declare it as SORN.
• The car is set to be scrapped but you want to recover some parts. The time might come for your car to visit the motor graveyard, but first, you want to salvage some parts.
• You want to add your car to a collection. Get a car collection on the go? You might have purchased a car without ever intending to drive it. If this is the case, declare your show car as a SORN to avoid paying road tax on it.

Applying For SORN

There’s a few options when it comes to declaring your car as off-road. You have the choice of online application, over the phone or via post. Let’s take a look at each.

Online Application

Perhaps the easiest way to declare your car SORN, you’ll need an 11-digit number that can be found in your vehicle log book, as well as the 16-digit reference number on your vehicle tax reminder form. You can apply to declare your car SORN via the GOV.UK website.

Apply By Phone

You can also apply for a SORN over the phone. To do this, dial 0300 123 4321. You’ll reach the DVLA Vehicle Service, which has lines open 24 hours a day.

Post

You can also send an application form off in the post. This form, a V890, needs to be sent to the following address to ensure your car is declared as off-road:

DVLA
Swansea

SA91 1AR