Short answer: SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. It is how you tell DVLA that a vehicle is being kept off the public road, so you can stop taxing and insuring it. A SORN vehicle must be kept off the road, for example in a garage, on a drive or on private land. It can only be driven on a public road to go to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment.
Last reviewed: 22 October 2026. General information based on GOV.UK guidance for Great Britain. Northern Ireland has some different rules for insurance.
What SORN means
GOV.UK says you need to make a SORN when you take a vehicle “off the road” and want to stop taxing and insuring it. A vehicle is off the road if you do not keep or use it on a public road.
GOV.UK says you must make a SORN if:
- the vehicle is not taxed
- the vehicle is not insured, even for a short time (for example, because of a delay renewing your policy)
- you want to break the vehicle down for parts before you scrap it
- you buy or receive a vehicle and want to keep it off the road (you can’t transfer a SORN from the previous keeper)
If a vehicle is neither taxed nor SORN, GOV.UK says the keeper will automatically be fined, and there is a separate penalty for keeping an uninsured vehicle. GOV.UK publishes the current amounts.
How to make a SORN
You can make a SORN online on GOV.UK, by phone or by post. To apply online the vehicle must be registered in your name, and you’ll need either:
- the 11-digit reference number from the vehicle log book (V5C), or
- the 16-digit reference number from a vehicle tax reminder (letter V11, email or text)
If the vehicle isn’t registered in your name, or you don’t have a log book, GOV.UK explains the postal route using form V890 (and form V62 for a replacement log book).
When it starts: GOV.UK says your SORN starts immediately if your tax has expired, or if you’re not applying in the month your tax is due to expire. If you apply in the month your tax expires, it starts on the first day of the next month. You can’t backdate a SORN.
Tax refund: you’ll automatically get a refund for any full months of remaining tax. GOV.UK says the cheque is sent to the name and address on the log book.
Where a SORN vehicle can be kept
A SORN vehicle must be kept off the public road. GOV.UK gives the examples of a garage, a drive or private land. That means you can’t leave a SORN car parked on the street outside your house.
The vehicle must also stay in the UK for the SORN to be valid.
Does SORN expire? Cancelling SORN by taxing the car
No. GOV.UK says you don’t need to renew a SORN. It’s automatically cancelled when:
- you tax the vehicle again
- you sell it, permanently export it or scrap it
To put a SORN car back on the road, tax it and make sure it’s insured. It must also have a valid MOT if it needs one.
Driving a SORN car
GOV.UK says you can only drive a SORN vehicle on a public road 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 prosecution and a fine.
Even on the way to a pre-booked MOT, the vehicle must be insured. Check with your insurer before you set off.
Buying a SORN car
Cars are often sold as SORN, especially project cars, cars that have been in storage and cars without a current MOT. Before you buy:
- Check the status yourself. Use GOV.UK’s free vehicle tax check. It shows whether a vehicle is taxed or registered as SORN. GOV.UK says it can take up to 2 working days for the record to update after a change.
- Check the MOT history. The MOT history service shows whether the car has a current MOT and when it was last tested. A long gap can be a sign it has been off the road for a while.
- Remember that SORN doesn’t transfer. GOV.UK says you can’t transfer a SORN from the previous keeper. When you buy the car you must either tax it before you drive it, or make your own SORN if you’re going to keep it off the road.
- Remember that tax doesn’t transfer either. GOV.UK says tax isn’t passed on to you when you buy a vehicle.
- Plan how you’ll get it home. A SORN car can’t be driven home on the road unless it’s taxed and insured (and has an MOT if it needs one), or you’re driving straight to a pre-booked MOT. Otherwise you’ll need a trailer or transporter.
- Ask why it’s SORN. Storage, a failed MOT and repair work are all common reasons. Get the answer and look for evidence.
Our car tax check guide explains how to check a car’s tax or SORN status, and our used car buying checklist covers the rest of the viewing.
Insurance points
GOV.UK says you don’t need to insure a vehicle that is kept off the road and declared SORN. Without a SORN, a vehicle must be insured all the time, even if you aren’t driving it. This rule is called continuous insurance enforcement.
Some owners keep cover on a SORN car anyway, for example for fire or theft while it’s stored. That’s a choice to discuss with your insurer. Ask your insurer before driving a SORN car to a pre-booked MOT.
Frequently asked questions
Can a SORN car be parked on the road?
No. A SORN vehicle must be kept off the public road, for example in a garage, on a drive or on private land.
Does SORN expire?
No. You don’t need to renew it. It ends when you tax the vehicle or when you sell, export or scrap it.
Can you drive a SORN car to an MOT?
Yes, but only to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment, according to GOV.UK, and the car must be insured for the journey.
Do you need insurance on a SORN car?
No, not while it’s kept off the road and declared SORN. You need insurance before you use it on a public road, including the drive to a pre-booked MOT.
How do I check if a car is SORN?
Use GOV.UK’s vehicle tax check with the registration number. See our car tax check guide for what the results mean.
Selling a car that’s been off the road? See how to prepare your car for a private sale.
Sources checked 22 October 2026: GOV.UK, Register your vehicle as off the road (SORN); GOV.UK, When you need to make a SORN; GOV.UK, Check if a vehicle is taxed; GOV.UK, Cancel your vehicle tax and get a refund; GOV.UK, Tell DVLA you’ve sold, transferred or bought a vehicle; GOV.UK, Vehicle insurance: uninsured vehicles.