How to Take a Car Off SORN (and Tax It)
There's no form to "un-SORN" a car. You tax it, and the SORN ends automatically. Before you do, the car needs insurance for the road and a valid MOT if it needs one. Then tax it online, by phone on 0300 123 4321, or at a Post Office, using a reference from your tax reminder, your log book or the new keeper slip.
DVLA's own advice is that "there is no such thing as unSORNing". This guide covers the order to do things in, what you need, when the tax starts, and the rules for a car you've just bought.
The order to do it in
- Insure the car for the road. Switch your laid-up policy back to full cover, or take out a new policy, starting before the car moves.
- Get an MOT if it needs one. You can drive a SORN car to and from a pre-booked MOT appointment, as long as it's insured. Wait until the MOT shows on the system before taxing: it can take up to 2 days.
- Tax the car. Online is quickest. Taxing ends the SORN.
- Check it over before the first drive. Tyres, brakes, fluids and battery, especially after a long lay-up.
The reason for this order is the same as when the car went off the road: you never want a moment where the car is taxed but not insured, or on the road but not taxed.
What you need to tax a car that's on SORN
One of these reference numbers:
- the reference on a recent vehicle tax reminder or "last chance" warning letter from DVLA;
- the 11-digit number on the log book (V5C), which must be in your name;
- the green "new keeper" slip from the log book, if you've just bought the car.
If you have none of them, you'll need to apply for a new log book, and you can tax the car at the same time.
You'll also need:
- a valid MOT, if the car needs one, valid on the date the tax starts;
- a way to pay: Direct Debit (monthly, every six months or yearly) or debit or credit card. Paying monthly or six-monthly by Direct Debit adds a 5% surcharge; paying yearly doesn't.
How to tax it
- Online at GOV.UK ("Tax your vehicle"). Available 24 hours a day.
- By phone on 0300 123 4321, DVLA's 24-hour vehicle tax service. You can't set up a Direct Debit by phone.
- At a Post Office that deals with vehicle tax. Take the log book or new keeper slip, and you might need evidence of the MOT, such as a screenshot of the MOT history.
If you pay by Direct Debit, the first payment can take up to 10 days to be collected, but you can use the car before it's taken.
When the tax starts
Vehicle tax is charged in whole months. DVLA has said that when you tax a vehicle partway through a month, the tax runs from the start of that month. So if you have a choice, tax the car near the beginning of the month you need it, not the end.
It can take up to 2 working days for the vehicle enquiry service to show the car as taxed.
Driving to an MOT while on SORN
GOV.UK allows one exception to the off-road rule: you can drive a SORN vehicle on a public road to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment. Using it for anything else can mean prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500.
Two things to sort first:
- Insurance for the journey. The SORN removes the need for insurance only while the car is off the road. Check whether your laid-up policy allows the trip, or buy short-term cover for the day.
- A booking. "Pre-booked" means a real appointment, made before you set off.
Bought a car that's on SORN?
A SORN doesn't transfer to a new keeper, and neither does vehicle tax. When you buy a car:
- To drive it, tax it with the green new keeper slip from the log book, and have insurance in place, before it goes on the road.
- To keep it off the road, make your own SORN. It needs the car registered in your name, or a V890 sent with the log book.
If the car has no MOT, you can drive it to a pre-booked test once it's insured. Otherwise, the safe way home is on a trailer or transporter.
Classic and historic vehicles
Two rules make taking a classic off SORN simpler:
- Tax. Vehicles built before 1 January 1986 (or, if the build date is unknown, registered before 8 January 1986) are exempt from vehicle tax from 1 April 2026. You still have to apply for the historic tax class, and you still have to tax the car each year even though there's nothing to pay.
- MOT. Vehicles built or first registered more than 40 years ago don't need an MOT, provided no substantial changes have been made in the last 30 years. You don't have to apply for this, but the car must be kept roadworthy.
Our guide to storing a classic car over winter covers the full spring recommissioning routine.
Before the first drive
If the car has been off the road all winter, don't just turn the key:
- check underneath for leaks, and under the bonnet for nests;
- charge the battery fully;
- reset the tyre pressures and look for cracking;
- check the oil, coolant and brake fluid;
- drive gently at first; a few soft stops clear surface rust from the discs.
Our guide to how long a car can sit without being driven explains what to expect after one, three and six months. If you're putting the car away again next winter, how to SORN a car covers the other direction.
Motorkeep is an independent introduction service for car storage; we don't own or operate any facility we list. Tax, MOT and SORN rules are from GOV.UK and DVLA, checked October 2026. The tax start-date rule is as described by DVLA; check the GOV.UK tax service when you apply.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I take my car off SORN?
- Tax it. There's no separate form to cancel a SORN: taxing the car online, by phone or at a Post Office ends the SORN automatically. Before you do, make sure the car is insured for the road and has a valid MOT if it needs one.
- How long does it take to un-SORN a car?
- Taxing online takes a few minutes and the SORN ends when the tax starts. It can take up to 2 working days for DVLA's records to update, and up to 2 days for a new MOT to show, so if the car has just passed its MOT you may not be able to tax it immediately.
- What do I need to tax a car that's on SORN?
- A reference number from a recent vehicle tax reminder, the 11-digit number on the log book (V5C) in your name, or the green 'new keeper' slip if you've just bought it. The car also needs a valid MOT if it requires one, and you'll need insurance before you drive.
- Can I drive a SORN car to an MOT?
- Yes, to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment. The car must be insured for the journey. Driving it anywhere else while it's on SORN risks prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500.
- Do I need an MOT to tax a SORN car?
- If the car needs one, yes: the MOT must be valid when the tax starts. Vehicles built or first registered more than 40 years ago don't need an MOT, provided they haven't been substantially changed, but you still have to tax them.
- Is there a grace period after SORN ends?
- No. Once a car is taxed it can be used on the road straight away, as long as it's insured and roadworthy. But until it's taxed, the SORN rules apply in full: it must stay off public roads.
- Can I drive a SORN car home after buying it?
- Only once it's taxed and insured. A SORN doesn't transfer to a new keeper, so you need to tax the car using the green new keeper slip from the log book, and have insurance in place, before it goes on the road. Otherwise, transport it home on a trailer.
- Do I still have to tax a car that's exempt from vehicle tax?
- Yes. You must tax a vehicle even if there's nothing to pay, for example a historic vehicle in the historic tax class. If you keep it off the road instead, it still needs a SORN.