How to SORN your vehicle online.

We know that many of you here in the UK with classic and rare cars often use your pride and joy for the brighter seasons. These months are typically between April through to September, after which many cars are then hidden away in garages or secured storage facilities.

If this sounds familiar to you and you don’t know already, you can save yourself money as you won’t have to pay road tax by declaring your car as SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) or insurance, but you cannot drive or park the vehicle on public roads. 

Now, although you can save money on insurance, we highly recommend you don’t cancel your policy, because in the unfortunate event of theft or accidental damage, you will not be covered and risk losing everything.

The good news is that applying for a SORN is free and can be done online in just a few minutes. In this guide, we'll walk you through the step by step process.

A Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) is a declaration to the DVLA that your vehicle is not being used on public roads. This allows you to stop paying road tax and insurance while keeping the vehicle off the road.

When Do You Need to SORN a Vehicle?

You must SORN your vehicle if:

You’re not using it on public roads. E.g:  it’s stored in a garage, driveway, on private land or in a storage facility.

Your road tax has expired, and you don’t want to renew it.

You are breaking a vehicle for parts.

You have bought a vehicle and don’t intend to tax or insure it yet.

If your car is still parked on a public road, even if it’s not being driven, you must keep it taxed and insured.

Step 1: Gather the Required Information

Before you start, make sure you have one of the following:

The 11-digit reference number from your V5C (logbook) if you’re SORNing the vehicle immediately.

The 16-digit number from your V11 tax reminder letter if you’re SORNing the vehicle from the start of next month.

If you don’t have these, you may need to apply for a replacement V5C from the DVLA.

Step 2: Visit the Official DVLA Website

Go to the official DVLA website for SORN applications:

https://www.gov.uk/make-a-sorn

Avoid third-party websites that may charge unnecessary fees.

Step 3: Enter Your Vehicle Details

Input your registration number.

Provide either your V5C logbook number or the V11 tax reminder number.

Confirm that the vehicle is off the road and where it is being stored.

Step 4: Confirm and Submit

Once you’ve entered the required information:

Double-check your details.

Submit your SORN application.

You’ll receive an instant confirmation on-screen and an email confirmation (if provided).

Step 5: Wait for Your SORN Confirmation

DVLA will also send you a confirmation letter by post within 4 weeks.

What Happens After You SORN a Vehicle?

Refund on Road Tax: If you have any remaining full months of road tax, you’ll receive an automatic refund.

No Insurance Needed: But as we stated above, we highly recommend you don't cancel your insurance, you may wish to explore keeping fire and theft cover in place as a minimum.

No Driving or Parking on Public Roads: The vehicle must remain off public roads until you tax it again.

How to Remove a SORN and Start Using Your Vehicle Again.

If you want to use the vehicle on public roads again, simply tax it online at https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax. Once taxed, the SORN is automatically cancelled.

Declaring a SORN online is quick, free, and essential if you’re taking a vehicle off the road. Just make sure you don’t drive it until you tax it again.

Need to SORN your vehicle now? Head to the official DVLA website and follow the steps above!

We hope you found this useful, more news, events and blogs coming soon.