10 replies to this topic

[RetroRay]

got a tax exempt clubby its been off road for about 14 odd years and if im right in thinking the rule came in around 2002 im not sure where i stand over this as ive never had to SORN the mini ive had the car for around a few months now back in march i think i got it ... ive heard i WILL have to SORN it but im sure i read somewhere that if its been off the road for a few years then i wouldnt have to declare it i think i may have misread that part but i would like some clarification on this please previous owners havent Sorn it and theyve had no problems ? just confused about it all really and want to sort it before i get into trouble can any one shed some light ?

cheers

[Jammy]

You need to re-SORN it, no two ways about it. Having said that I taxed the Minus a number (4-5 I think) of months after I bought it, so affectively during this period it wasn't SORN or taxed, and never received a fine. Do it online and hope that they don't come a knocking!

[jayare]

From the direct.gov.uk website here:

When SORN is needed

Make a SORN:

* if your vehicle is being kept off the road due to repair, MOT failure or is not being used
* if you’re not renewing your tax disc and keeping the vehicle off road
* if you’re applying for a refund and keeping the vehicle of road
* every 12 months if you continue to keep your vehicle off the road
* in advance if your vehicle is to be kept off the road in the Great Britain when you’re abroad

SORN applies to all tax classes including historic and disabled vehicles.
When to apply

Make a SORN as soon as you take your vehicle off the road.

If your tax or SORN is due to run out at the end of the month, make a SORN from the fifth day of the month.

SORN cannot be backdated.

* How to make a SORN

When SORN is not needed

SORN isn’t needed if:

* you sell the vehicle
* you scrap the vehicle or pass it to a scrap dealer
* your insurance company write the vehicle off
* you take the vehicle abroad permanently
* you apply for a refund and don’t keep the vehicle
* your vehicle was last taxed before 31 January 1998

Check when your SORN expires

Check the date your SORN expires by making an online ‘vehicle enquiry’. Just enter the registration mark and make of your vehicle.

So if it hasn't been taxed or SORN'd since 31/1/98 it doesn't have to be. I'm not sure if this still applies if the car is sold during that time though. I would check with the local vehicle licensing office.
JR

[Dan]

As Jammy says, you need to SORN it. All registered cars must be either taxed or SORNed. If it's a tax exempt car it is easily old enough to have never been put on the computerised system at the DVLA, that's especially likely to be the case if it was with one owner all these years and off the road. Since you've recently registered a change of keeper though they will now have remembered that it exists. You should get it sorted, if they do decide to come knocking not only can they fine you but you will be liable for back tax from the time you became the keeper and they can crush the car if they want. 14 years of tax arrears against a vehicle is ample proof that it deserves crushing. You cannot apply for back dated SORN if they take you to court, you will have to pay the back tax even if you proove the car was off the road.

The SORN system was introduced around 1996 I seem to remember. When reshelling my car in 1999 I had to SORN it for a while so it's been around at least that long.

Well there you go, the above appeard while I was typing so it seems that SORN came in at the start of '98. I am surprised that they just let you off if the car was untaxed before that. That could well be wrong though since it's from the DirectGov website which is notoriously unreliable.

There is some rule about selling a SORNed car I think, I'll have to check.

Edited by Dan, 09 September 2008 - 04:02 PM.

[Jeff R]

My GT has a new style log book but has been off the road since 1996. I've never had to sorn it and haven't had a fine in three years...

[Jeff R]

Here you go, from the dvla website:


When SORN is not needed

SORN isn’t needed if:

* you sell the vehicle
* you scrap the vehicle or pass it to a scrap dealer
* your insurance company write the vehicle off
* you take the vehicle abroad permanently
* you apply for a refund and don’t keep the vehicle
* your vehicle was last taxed before 31 January 1998

[Jeff R]

Yeah Ok - someone beat it me to it! lol

[ROCKET]

Just to back up those that say you might not need to sorn your mini, I bought a 1979 mini that has been off the road since 1997 (I think), I tried to sorn it online but didn't hear from the dvla so I rang them up to confirm it was sorn and was told " oh, you don't need to sorn it as it hasn't been on the road for such a long time !"

[Sleepy Stu]

I actually spoke to the DVLA about this very subject a while back.

Because my GT had been declared off the road before the SORN thing came in it did not need to be declared SORN and as such had not been!!!!!

I taxed it about a month ago, first time in about 13 years, and i havnt heard anything yet (even though the post office guy said i would recieve a fine, numpty) so that would seem to make sense as well!!

[sazal]

But if you need to SORN it, wont you get a slip through the post? If you dont get one, dont worry about it, if you do then send it back....

[RetroRay]

Ha im confused the last time my clubby was on the road it was 1990 i think il give them a ring tommorow just to clear things out