If a car will be out of use for a while, perhaps during a long repair, a period abroad or while saving to fix it, you can declare it off the road with a SORN. This stops tax and removes the need for insurance, but comes with strict rules about where the car is kept. This guide covers the whole process.
Step by step
Check that a SORN suits you
A SORN means the car must be kept off public roads, for example on a private driveway, in a garage or on private land. If you only have on-street parking, a SORN is not an option.
Make the SORN
Make the SORN with the DVLA online, by phone or by post using details from your V5C. Any full months of tax remaining will be refunded automatically.
Decide about insurance
Once a SORN is in place, you do not need standard road insurance, but you may want laid-up cover against theft, fire and damage while stored. Speak to your insurer before cancelling.
Prepare the car for storage
Clean the car, check tyre pressures, consider a battery maintainer or disconnecting the battery, and cover it with a breathable cover if stored outdoors. Keep it secure and out of sight if possible.
Keep an eye on it
Check the car regularly for damp, flat tyres, rodents and battery drain. Moving it slightly on private land now and then helps avoid flat spots on tyres.
Return it to the road properly
Before driving on a public road, insure and tax the car, which cancels the SORN, and make sure it has a valid MOT. You may drive it to a pre-booked MOT without tax, but it must be insured.
Ready-to-use checklist
- V5C log book
- Off-road space such as a driveway or garage
- Decision on laid-up insurance
- Battery maintainer or plan for the battery
- Breathable car cover
- Tyre pressure gauge
- Reminder to check the car regularly
Practical tips
- A SORN does not need renewing each year; it lasts until the car is taxed, sold or scrapped.
- If you sell the car while it has a SORN, tell the DVLA as usual.
- Check tyres, brakes and fluids carefully before the first drive after storage.
Common problems
I received a DVLA letter saying my car is untaxed. What should I do?
Check whether your SORN was recorded by using the vehicle enquiry service on GOV.UK. If it was not, make a SORN or tax the car immediately and reply to the letter as instructed.
The battery is flat after storage. How do I start the car?
Use a battery charger or jump starter following the car's handbook. If the battery does not hold charge, it may need replacing.
Can I park a SORN car on the road outside my house for a day?
No. A car with a SORN must not be kept or driven on a public road, except to go to a pre-booked MOT.