Is this car SORN?

When do you need to make a SORN?

You need a SORN when you take a vehicle off the road and want to stop taxing and insuring it — for example if it is kept in a garage, on a driveway or on private land and not used on a public road.

Common reasons include storing a car over winter, laying up a project or classic car, or keeping a vehicle you are not currently using. It is a normal, legitimate thing for a car to have done in its past.

How do you make a SORN?

Making a SORN is free and takes a few minutes online at gov.uk/make-a-sorn, using the 11-digit number from the V5C logbook or the 16-digit number from a V11 tax reminder. You can also do it by phone or post.

You only need to declare a SORN once. It does not need renewing each year, which is a common misconception.

How long does a SORN last?

A SORN lasts indefinitely. It stays valid until the vehicle is taxed again, sold, permanently exported or scrapped, so there is no annual renewal.

That means a car can sit SORN for years quite legally. The declaration simply ends the moment one of those events happens, including the day it is sold to you.

Does a SORN transfer when you buy a car?

No. A SORN does not transfer to a new owner. When you buy a SORN car you must either tax it before driving, or make a fresh SORN in your own name if you intend to keep it off the road.

This catches buyers out: the previous keeper's SORN ends when the car changes hands, so you cannot legally drive it away on their declaration. Tax it online first using the new keeper slip from the V5C.

Do you get a tax refund when you SORN a car?

Yes. Making a SORN automatically refunds any full remaining months of vehicle tax, paid by cheque to the keeper on the V5C. Part months are not refunded, and it usually arrives within about six weeks.

This is why a car sold off the road often shows as both SORN and untaxed — the seller declared it and took the refund. It is normal and not a warning sign in itself.

What are the penalties around SORN?

You can be fined £80 for keeping an untaxed car that has not been declared SORN. Driving a SORN vehicle on a public road (other than to a pre-booked MOT) can lead to prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500.

A SORN car also cannot legally be kept on a public road at all — it must be on a garage, driveway or private land. These rules are why you should never drive a car away on an old SORN.

Does a SORN cancel your insurance?

No. Declaring a SORN does not automatically cancel a car's insurance. If a previous keeper wanted to stop insuring it, they had to contact their insurer separately.

Some owners keep a SORN car insured against fire and theft while it is stored. For you as a buyer, the key point is that you will need your own insurance, and tax, in place before driving it.

What should you check before buying a SORN car?

A SORN car is fine to buy, but find out why it was taken off the road, for how long, and what it needs to return to use. Budget to tax, insure and recommission it.

1. Ask the seller why the car was declared SORN and how long it has been off the road.
2. Expect to tax and insure it in your own name before driving.
3. A long lay-up may need fresh fluids, tyres, a battery and an MOT.
4. Check the running cost with the car tax check.