How to SORN a Car: Rules, Refunds and Fines
To SORN a car, tell DVLA it's off the road — online at GOV.UK, by phone on 0300 123 4321, or by post with form V890. It's free, you get a refund for any full months of tax left, and it lasts until you tax the car again. From then on the car must be kept off public roads — in a garage, on a drive or on private land — and you can only drive it to a pre-booked MOT.
This guide covers how to do it, when it starts, what you can and can't do once it's in place, and what happens if you don't.
What SORN means
SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. It's the official way of telling DVLA you've taken a vehicle off the road and want to stop taxing and insuring it.
Once a SORN is in place:
- you don't need to tax the vehicle, and any full months of tax left are refunded;
- you don't legally need to insure it;
- the vehicle must not be kept or used on a public road.
DVLA said in 2021 that around 3.4 million vehicles are declared off the road each year, often for just a few months at a time — a winter lay-up, a car being restored, or a second car that isn't needed.
When you must SORN a vehicle
GOV.UK says you must make a SORN if:
- your vehicle isn't taxed;
- your vehicle isn't 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. A SORN doesn't transfer from the previous keeper.
You don't need a SORN for a vehicle you've already sold. Tell DVLA you've sold it instead.
How to SORN your car
Online (the quickest way)
- Go to "Register your vehicle as off the road (SORN)" on GOV.UK. The vehicle must be registered in your name.
- Enter either the 11-digit number from your log book (V5C) or the 16-digit reference from your vehicle tax reminder — the reminder can be a letter (V11), an email or a text.
- Confirm the details. DVLA confirms the SORN straight away.
If the address on your log book is wrong, change it online first, so your refund goes to the right place.
By phone
Call the DVLA vehicle service on 0300 123 4321. It's a 24-hour automated service, and you'll need the same reference number.
By post
Fill in form V890 and send it to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR. By post you can ask for the SORN to start this month, next month or the month after; for a later month, include a letter saying why you can't send the form nearer the time.
If you don't have the log book
You can use the reference on your tax reminder instead. If you have neither, send a log book application (form V62, £25) with a V890 to DVLA. If the car isn't registered in your name — you've just bought it, for example — fill in the relevant part of the log book and send it with a V890.
When does a SORN start?
- Immediately, if your vehicle tax has already expired, or if you're not applying in the month your tax is due to expire.
- On the first day of the next month, if you apply in the month your tax is due to expire.
You can't backdate a SORN. It can take up to 2 working days to show on the vehicle enquiry service.
Your tax refund
You automatically get a refund for any full months of tax left. DVLA cancels any Direct Debit, and the refund is calculated from the date it receives your SORN. It arrives as a cheque sent to the name and address on the log book.
You won't get back credit card fees, the 5% surcharge on some Direct Debit payments, or the 10% surcharge on a single 6-month payment. If the cheque hasn't arrived after 8 weeks, contact DVLA.
Because the refund is only for whole months, a SORN made on the 2nd of the month gets back the same as one made on the 30th — don't wait until the end of a month for no reason.
How long does a SORN last?
Indefinitely. You don't need to renew it. A SORN lasts until the vehicle is:
- taxed again;
- sold;
- permanently exported; or
- scrapped.
The vehicle must stay in the UK for the SORN to be valid.
Where can you keep a SORN car?
Off public roads — a garage, a drive or private land. That includes a storage facility.
What it doesn't include is the street, even directly outside your house. DVLA's own myth-busting puts it bluntly: "When you SORN your vehicle, it can't be kept on a public road." If you don't have a drive or garage, you'll need somewhere else to keep the car — our guide to SORN and car storage covers how that works with a storage facility, and car storage units explains what to check with a unit or container.
Can you drive a car on SORN?
Only to go to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment. Using it on the road for any other reason can lead to court prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500.
For that MOT trip the car still needs to be insured — the SORN removes the need for insurance only while the car is off the road. If you're on laid-up cover, check whether it allows the journey, or buy short-term cover for the day.
SORN and insurance
A vehicle with a SORN doesn't legally need insurance. GOV.UK calls the rule continuous insurance enforcement: every vehicle must be insured unless it's kept off the road with a SORN.
Not needing insurance isn't the same as not wanting it. A car off the road can still be stolen, catch fire or be damaged where it's kept. Laid-up insurance covers those risks for much less than a road policy, and many classic insurers will switch an existing policy over for the winter. Our guide to laid-up car insurance explains what it covers and costs.
Get the order right. Make the SORN first, then cancel or switch your road insurance. Do it the other way round and the car is briefly taxed but uninsured, which is exactly what continuous insurance enforcement picks up.
What happens if you don't SORN
| Situation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Vehicle not taxed and no SORN | Automatic £80 fine |
| Vehicle not insured and no SORN | £100 fine; clamping, impounding or destruction; or court and up to £1,000 |
| SORN vehicle used on the road (other than to a pre-booked MOT) | Prosecution and up to £2,500 |
All from GOV.UK. You'd still have to pay for the insurance on top of any fine.
SORN myths
DVLA has published a list of the misunderstandings it sees most. The ones that catch people out:
- "I can keep it on the road as long as I don't drive it." No — a SORN car must be off public roads.
- "The SORN carries over when I sell the car." No — the new keeper has to tax it or make their own SORN.
- "I need to renew it every year." No — it lasts until the car is taxed, sold, exported or scrapped.
- "I can't take it to an MOT." You can, to a pre-booked appointment.
- "I have to un-SORN it." There's no such thing — you simply tax the car again.
Getting the car back on the road
There's no form to cancel a SORN. Insure the car, make sure it has a valid MOT if it needs one, then tax it — the SORN ends automatically. Our guide to taking a car off SORN goes through it step by step, including what you need and when the tax starts.
If the car has been off the road for months, check it over before the first drive. How long a car can sit without being driven explains what to look for.
Motorkeep is an independent introduction service for car storage; we don't own or operate any facility we list. SORN rules, fees, phone numbers and penalties are from GOV.UK and DVLA, checked October 2026. Rules differ in Northern Ireland for some services — check GOV.UK or NI Direct.
Frequently asked questions
- What does SORN mean?
- SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. It's how you tell DVLA you're keeping a vehicle off the road, for example in a garage or on a drive. Once it's in place you don't need to tax or insure the vehicle, but you can't keep it on a public road or drive it, except to a pre-booked MOT.
- How do I SORN my car?
- Online at GOV.UK, by phone on 0300 123 4321 (24 hours), or by post with form V890. Online you need either the 11-digit number from the log book (V5C) or the 16-digit reference on your tax reminder, and the vehicle must be registered in your name. It's free and takes a few minutes.
- How long is a SORN valid?
- Indefinitely. You don't need to renew a SORN. It lasts until you tax the vehicle again, or until it's sold, permanently exported or scrapped. The vehicle must stay in the UK for the SORN to be valid.
- Does it cost anything to SORN a car?
- No. Making a SORN is free, and you automatically get a refund for any full months of vehicle tax left, sent as a cheque to the address on the log book.
- Can I park a SORN car on the road outside my house?
- No. A SORN vehicle must be kept off public roads: in a garage, on a drive or on private land. Keeping a SORN car parked on the street is against the law, even if you don't drive it.
- Do I need insurance on a SORN car?
- Not by law. A vehicle with a SORN is exempt from continuous insurance enforcement. But a car off the road can still be stolen, damaged or catch fire, so many owners switch to cheaper laid-up cover rather than having none.
- What happens if I don't SORN my car?
- If a vehicle isn't taxed and has no SORN, you'll automatically be fined £80. If it isn't insured either, you could be fined £100, have the vehicle clamped, impounded or destroyed, or be taken to court with a maximum fine of £1,000.
- Can you backdate a SORN?
- No. A SORN starts immediately, or on the first day of the next month if you apply in the month your tax runs out. You can't make it start earlier.
- Can I SORN a car without the log book?
- Online you can use the 16-digit reference on your tax reminder letter, email or text instead of the log book. Without either, apply for a replacement log book with form V62 (£25) and send it with form V890 to DVLA.
- How do I check if a car is SORN?
- Use the vehicle enquiry service on GOV.UK with the registration number. It shows whether a vehicle is taxed or SORN. It can take up to 2 working days for a new SORN to show.