Question to UK-Members regarding SORN

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Nuschel01

Nuschel01

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I'm planning to buy a car in The UK and the vehicle check says it's SORN. I googled a little bit and it says that this status expires when the car is sold. But can I drive the car on the road to the ferry?

Regards,
Jan
 
If it's SORN then it's not taxed. You cannot legally drive it on the road.
 
Yeah but that website from the government says if you sell the car it's no longer SORN.

The only legal way is to pick it up with a trailer then?
 
Nuschel01
Yeah but that website from the government says if you sell the car it's no longer SORN.

The only legal way is to pick it up with a trailer then?
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Yes, once a car is sold. The old road tax or SORN is stopped and the new owner will need to either tax the vehicle to drive it on the road or you can pick it up with a trailer without having to tax it. I believe you will still need to declare the vehicle's SORN before you do so. The person you're buying the car from should know this and may assist you.
 
Nuschel01
Yeah but that website from the government says if you sell the car it's no longer SORN.

The only legal way is to pick it up with a trailer then?
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Yep.

The car has to be covered by Tax (Road Fund License) OR a SORN declaration... one or the other. If it is SORN or Non-taxed it is not road legal. Cars from pre-1977 are Tax exempt though.. so if it's a classic it might be easier.

Is it a runner? and is it a private sale or a garage/dealer?

edit:

I'm sure you get 14 days grace so if you were to trailer it back straight away you probably wouldn't need to bother SORNing it.

Cover the number plates though, ANPR at toll booths etc. might flag it up otherwise, even if it's on a trailer.
 
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They changed it last year. Before that it was fixed at anything before 1973. Labour brought made it at any car over 25 years old back in 1997 and froze it from there.
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Ah okay, I had it in mind it was '77 since when I put my old 635CSi on the road everyone was telling me if it was 25 years old it'd be tax exempt... that was during 2001, but since it was an '83 model anyway I never looked into it in any greater detail.
 
The car is from 1990.

So putting it on a trailer and cover the plates is the only way to get it out of the UK.
Thanks for your help
 
Nuschel01
So putting it on a trailer and cover the plates is the only way to get it out of the UK.
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Short of taxing it, insuring it, MOT-ing it and driving it out, yes. Which, if the car is not going to be used in the UK, will be a waste of time, effort, and money.
 
It has 2 years MOT and I can get an insurance here in Germany. But as it's not taxed that doesn't help me anyway
 
Nuschel01
It has 2 years MOT and I can get an insurance here in Germany. But as it's not taxed that doesn't help me anyway
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It probably doesn't matter to you but the longest an MOT can last is (I think) 13 months. They last 12 months, and I believe if you do it within a month before it's expiry date you can start the next MOT from the previous expiry - I could be wrong on that.

edit: Can we ask what it is?
 
Nuschel01
It has 2 years MOT
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I doubt it. The longest that an MOT certificate can be is 13 months.

A SORN is a declaration that the car will not be driven on the road. It expires when a car is sold because the new owner must either make the same declaration or pay Vehicle Excise Duty for it so that it may be used on the road.

For you as the new owner to legally drive it on the road you must pay Vehicle Excise Duty, it must be covered by insurance valid for the vehicle and it must have a current MOT certificate (unless under 3 years old).
 
It's a MX5 NA, so nothing really special or expensive. I was wrong about the MOT but it's still valid til 5/16.

Our automobile club offers an insurance for foreign countrys that lasts a month but as I said this doesn't help as the car is not taxed :(
 
Nuschel01
It's a MX5 NA, so nothing really special or expensive. I was wrong about the MOT but it's still valid til 5/16.

Our automobile club offers an insurance for foreign countrys that lasts a month but as I said this doesn't help as the car is not taxed :(
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You can put 6 months' tax on it (which would be £79.75) and then SORN it at the port and request a refund. You'd get 5 months back - so in effect it would cost you about £15.
 

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