How To Make A SORN

If you are the registered owner of a vehicle that is kept off public roads, you have to make a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) to avoid paying road tax.

Our guide looks at how you make a SORN.

How to make a SORN

If you are the registered owner of a vehicle, you can make a SORN by telephone or online.

You can make a SORN online or by telephone using the reference number shown on your registration certificate (V5C) or reminder form (V11 or V85/1).

If you make a SORN you should receive an acknowledgement letter from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) within four weeks.

If you have become the registered keeper of the vehicle and received your registration certificate (V5C) during the current month you will need to fill in a V890 ‘Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) form and send it to the DVLA.  For example, if you became the keeper on 4 August and received the V5C on 26 August you will need to fill in a V890. If you became the keeper on 28 June and received the V5C on 20 July you could SORN online or by phone.

If the vehicle isn’t registered in your name, you must fill in section six and sign section eight on the V5C and fill in a V890 ‘Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)’ form.  These should then be sent to the DVLA.

Buying a vehicle that has a SORN

You cannot transfer a SORN from a previous owner of a vehicle to you.  So, if you buy a vehicle that already has a SORN made by the previous owner, that SORN comes to an end on the date you buy the vehicle.

If you are keeping the vehicle off the public road and are not planning to tax it you must make a new SORN.

If you are putting your vehicle back on the road, you can tax your vehicle at any time using your registration certificate (V5C).

After you have made a SORN

Once you have made a SORN, the DVLA should send you a letter to confirm this.  If you haven’t received this letter within four weeks, you should contact the DVLA to chase this up.