All about SORN

As a classic car owner, and possibly a member of an owners' club, you will very likely have heard the term 'SORN' – and, perhaps, got little further than understanding that it's some sort of designation for cars – often classics – that are not currently on the road.

So far, so accurate. But what exactly is SORN, and when might you need to register your own classic car under this designation? Read on for our quick guide to SORN.

What is SORN?

Essentially, if you are the owner of a car that is not being driven on public roads, it is your legal duty to notify the DVLA of this fact – and the way to do so is by making a Statutory Off Road Notification, or SORN. Registering your vehicle as off road and filing a SORN will mean that you are no longer liable for car insurance or road tax.

This is, in fact, a pretty common procedure: the Government's own website tells us that, every year, around 3.4 million vehicles are declared SORN or 'off the road' – often for just a few months at a time (and we'll go into more detail, shortly, about why that might be).

So, why would you register a car as SORN? Simply, because doing so means that you are no longer liable for road tax or insurance during the period that the car remains off the road. You will even receive a refund for any full months of prepaid vehicle tax remaining.

Then, if and when you want to start using the vehicle on public roads again, you just need to start taxing it again (there is no need to cancel the SORN: you just resume your car tax payments). The easiest way to do this is to tax your vehicle online – you can do this at any time, and you should find that the whole procedure only takes a few minutes.

When to make a SORN

In fact, there are quite a few circumstances where you would need to declare a vehicle as SORN. The most obvious scenario is owning a vehicle (such as a classic car) that is now off the road – but still your proud possession. However, there are various other possible situations when a SORN will be required. These include:

• If your vehicle is for public road use, but isn’t yet taxed – you may have bought the car recently, but the previous owner's tax cannot be transferred to you when the car is sold.
• Similarly, if you buy a classic that you intend to keep off the road: the previous owner may have had a SORN for the vehicle, but this doesn't transfer, and you will need to arrange your own SORN.
• If your car has a spell, however brief, of not being insured – because of a delay in your renewal, for example.
• If you want to break up your car for parts.
• If your car fails its MOT and requires some major repairs.
• If, say, you own a classic and only drive it for some parts of the year. Perhaps you drive your classic during the more pleasant spring and summer months, for example, and use autumn and winter to garage the car and work on restoration. In this case, you can declare the car SORN throughout all those months you're not taking it on the road, and save yourself some tax (though we'd keep your classic motor insurance going – more on this shortly). Then, when the warmer weather comes around again, and you fancy getting the car back out on the road simply contact the DVLA – see the 'Getting back on the road' section below.

How do I get a SORN – and how much does it cost?

First, the good news: a SORN costs nothing. You can do it either online at the government's own website, or by phone (0300 132 4321). Whichever method you choose, make sure you have to hand either the 16-digit reference number from your tax renewal letter (V11), or the 11-digit number from your log book, or V5C.

You can also register by post, by completing a V890 form and sending it to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR. You may need to use this postal option in some circumstances – if you're not yet registered as the car's keeper, for example, and therefore don't yet have the V5C documentation.

How quickly does the SORN become active?

If you apply for SORN online, or by phone, using your V5C, it will become active with immediate effect. If you use your V11, conversely, the SORN will kick in at the beginning of the following month. Lastly, if you make a SORN application by post, it will come into effect on the date you write on the V890 form.

Your vehicle is now officially SORN – and will retain that status until either you tax and insure it, making it roadgoing again – or sell, scrap or permanently export it. In the case of the latter three scenarios, you won't have to do anything: the DVLA will change the vehicle's details on their own records.

As we noted, if there is any remaining road tax on your vehicle at the point it becomes subject to the SORN, you will be refunded for any full tax months not required.

Once my car is SORN, what can and can't I do with it?

The rules here are strict: cars that have been registered as SORN must not use public roads at any time (with one exception: if you are driving the vehicle to, or from, a pre-booked MOT test). Instead, SORN cars must be kept, for example, in a garage or a driveway.

This 'public road' ban extends to parking – you must not park your SORN vehicle on a public road (or car park, garden, or pavement). In the case where you plan to use a car solely on private land – for farming duties, for example, or to get around your grounds – you must, again, declare the vehicle SORN.

Driving a car that's uninsured, but not declared SORN, can land you a tough penalty. You'll certainly be facing a £100 fixed fine – and you could also have your car clamped, seized or disposed of. Similarly, if you are caught in possession of a car that isn’t taxed, yet doesn't have SORN status, the DVLA will automatically fine you £80.

A more serious offence, however, is driving a car that has been registered as SORN on public roads. Except in the exemptions that we mentioned above (relating to MOT tests), being caught out on the road in a SORN vehicle can mean a fine of up to £2,500, plus possible prosecution.

Getting back on the road after declaring SORN

So, after a period as a SORN vehicle – during a restoration project, for example – you now want to get your classic motor back on the road again. Congratulations! Happily, doing so is a pretty simple process.

You just need to retax the vehicle – and you can do this easily, either online or over the phone. Once again, you'll need the 11-digit number from your car's V5C form. You can also complete the taxation process in person at certain Post Office branches.

It's worth remembering, when you get your car back on the road after a period of SORN, that in addition to being retaxed it will also need insurance. As a classics owner, make sure that you have some valid classic car insurance in place before you take to the wheel again (although we're going to recommend, in many cases, that you keep the car insured throughout its laid-up phase – more on that shortly).

Lastly, the vehicle is going to need a fresh MOT, in cases where either the SORN was applied because it failed a previous MOT, or if the current MOT expired while the car was off the road. Again, this is one of those rare cases where you are allowed to take your SORN vehicle on the public roads, getting to and from your pre-booked MOT test.

Do electric and other tax-exempt vehicles require a SORN when not on the road?

Yes. Even cars that don't incur an annual road tax charge – electric vehicles, for example, or cars driven by disabled drivers – must still be taxed. The difference is, simply, that the tax rate for these vehicles is £0.

But the paperwork must still be done – and, following on from that, if you take this vehicle off the road and don’t wish to tax it, you’ll still need to send off for a SORN – and, just as with all other cars, you'll need to resume car tax at the moment you put your car back on the road.

Do I need to renew my SORN?

No: there is no need to renew a SORN declaration. Your vehicle's SORN status stays active indefinitely – or until the car is sold or scrapped (or until it is exported outside Britain on a permanent basis).

Insuring a SORN vehicle

So, you've registered your classic as SORN and taken it off the roads – either temporarily or permanently. It's now sitting, safe and dry, in your garage – either waiting for better driving weather, or in permanent gracious retirement. Do you even need classic car insurance for a SORN vehicle like this?

Well, while you might dip in and out with your tax payments / SORN status (driving and taxing during the more clement months, and reverting to SORN and saving yourself some money during autumn and winter), when it comes to classic car insurance for your SORN vehicle, our advice is slightly different.

The fact is that your beautiful old vehicle is still liable to mishaps even during those months when it's not in use. Imagine, for example, that your pride and joy is kept safely in your garage, away from the vagaries of the weather – but, one day, a shelf collapses and a full tin of paint spills its contents all over your classic. Or perhaps a family of mice set up home inside the car. There are, unfortunately, a few possible scenarios where even a mothballed classic can come to grief.

Which is why we'd still recommend some classic car insurance, even when your car isn't out on the road. You may find this called different things by different insurers – laid-up cover, SORN insurance, off-the-road cover – but, whatever name it goes under, it's worth looking into this form of off-road cover in order to protect your classic throughout its life.

Laid-up insurance / SORN insurance in more detail

If your classic is garaged, parked on your drive or stored in a secure building, it will qualify for laid-up cover. It's worth checking the fine print of your classic car insurance policy here, as some insurance policies will even cover your vehicle while it’s outside your garage and, for a limited time, on what's termed 'static display'. Policies may also cover the car while it's travelling to specialist restorers and back – again, read the small print here!

The exact details of each policy will vary from one insurer to the next: all the same, it's worth looking out for features such as accidental damage cover and fire and theft cover. You may also want to include an agreed valuation, which basically means that the policy will pay out a pre-agreed amount of money in the event that the car is written off. This can be particularly useful in cases where the particular car is worth more than the average for a make and model of a similar age. This will apply to many lovingly restored classic cars – and may, therefore, be a key feature to look out for in your classic car insurance policy.

You may also be offered a lower insurance premium to reflect that the vehicle isn’t actually being driven on public roads. Also look out for any optional extras – key cover, for example.

Your policy should also apply to any kit car that you've bought and are in the process of assembling: and this could be handy when your garage is full of desirable kit car parts.

You should be able to take out most of these laid-up cover policies for either six or 12 months. Moreover, with some of them you may be able to convert them directly to on-road insurance when you're ready to take to the road again, rather than going through the hassle of sorting an entirely new policy.

Classic car insurance through Lancaster

Whether or not your beloved classic motor is likely to take to the roads again soon, we'd always recommend some specialist classic car insurance. Our policies can include:

• Car club member discounts up to 25%
• Static show cover
• Historic rally cover
• Choice of repairer
• Salvage retention
• Two year agreed valuation available for £18
• Laid-up cover available
• 24-hour claims helpline

Contact us today to find the classic car insurance policy to suit your needs.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.