SORN. Question for the panel

[chasroberts]

At the moment we have our UK regd vehicle out of the country for about 10 months of the year. We have been paying the annual UK road tax for all 12 months.

A recent casual conversation regarding SORN (Standard Off Road Notification) and declaring the car off the (UK) roads as it is out of the country whilst we are away might mean saving a considerable sum each year.

Does anyone have any thoughts, knowledge or other comments re the pros and cons of such a course of action, or even if what I have been told is correct?

As always many thanks in advance for your input.

Chas

 

[Beyondhelp]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motorin...icle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/DG_4022582

Taking your vehicle abroad for less than 12 months (temporary export)

If a UK registered vehicle is taken abroad temporarily, it remains subject to UK law. This means that you as the keeper, must by law make sure that the vehicle stays taxed while it’s overseas. Providing the vehicle has a current MOT certificate and insurance, you’ll be able to tax the vehicle.

If you don’t tax the vehicle and it’s brought back to the UK untaxed, the vehicle will need to be transported and not driven upon entry back to the UK and SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) should be declared straight away.

You can tax or SORN online or by telephone, but please note that SORN can’t be made while the vehicle is abroad.

If you don’t have a registration certificate and you are taking the vehicle out the country on a temporary basis you can get a replacement from DVLA by phoning or applying by post.

 

[duncan99210]

The SORN is a declaration that the vehicle is not being kept or used on the roads. With that in place, you do not need to insure the vehicle nor do you need to pay tax on it. However, as I understand it, you it must be stored off the road. If you can meet these conditions, then you simply turn the tax disc in for a refund and submit a SORN which will cover you for up to a year.

To retax the car, simply reinsure it, make sure the MOT is valid and take the docs along to a post office or do it on line.

Ah, should have read the OP properly. Not sure about the idea of SORN whilst the vehicle is in use out of the country. You have to turn the tax disc in to get a refund, so you might run into problems overseas without it, as the police onverseas are getting increasingly wise to this sort of dodge. However, no doubt someone will be along soon with a more definitive answer.

 

[Beyondhelp]

Also another point just in case people don't realise.

If you have a TAXED car and even lock it in your garage away from the road it MUST also be insured. If you don't insure it, but it has tax you'll shortly receive a fine.

 

[PlanB]

SORN only applies while the vehicle is off the road in the UK.
To use the car legally on the road abroad, it needs to be taxed, MOT and insured.
Many UK plated cars in Spain do not have valid tax and MOT, although a specific type of insurance is available. Rumour has it that the police are cracking down on such vehicles.

 

[RONM]

SORN

A word of warning. We were cruising from March until Nov. 2011. When we left the UK the need for continueous insurance had not been introduced. On our return I was landed with a fixed penalty £100. Explanations to the DVLA are proving futile. Apparently it is the registered keepers responsibility to be aware of changing legislation at all times.

This year I've added a crystal ball to my inventory!

Born free, Taxed to death.

 

[chinita]

Tax, insurance and MoT are required abroad, just as they are in UK.

Having no tax or Mot may invalidate insurance and lead to fines, or even confiscation, by local police authorities.

Many insurance companies only extend cover for a maximum of three months abroad.

However, under EU legislation, insurance companies are compelled to maintain the minimum legal requirement for each country. This means that, although your comprehensive cover may cease, your third party insurance will not. In effect a permanent Green Card (which has now been all but abolished).

This has been gleaned from the Motor Insurers Bureau Website.

 

[chasroberts]

Many thanks to all the contributors. I thought they probably had that one covered. Ah well.... better luck next time.

Chas

 

[mikewilkes]

Many insurance companies only extend cover for a maximum of three months abroad.

Check SAGA if you are old enough. Their recovery and insurance seem to cover you for up to 364 days abroad.

Point to remember - if you are illegal without insurance etc and have a prang - you could be taken to the cleaners and loose the lot. Is it really worth the risk???

.

 

[JonJon]

I was under the impression that you can only use a car in a nother EU country for up to 6 months after that you have to import it to that country and pay their tax etc a bit like the boat problem. No doubt enforement of this varies widely.

 

[jimbaerselman]

I was under the impression that you can only use a car in a nother EU country for up to 6 months after that you have to import it to that country and pay their tax etc a bit like the boat problem. No doubt enforement of this varies widely.

Sort of. You have to declare it. It is then listed, taxed and insured in the same way as local vehicles. If you are temporarily in the country, it does not have to be re-registered. If you're going to live in the country, you will be expected to re-register. I don't know what the defining line is for re-registering . . .

 

[duncan99210]

Most places it is 6 months then has to be either removed or registered locally - certainly the case in Spain and Greece, where I've looked into the thing. However, enforcement is patchy to say the least, so you takes your chances. Penalties for not doing as you're meant to are usually siezure of vehicle until registered and a fine - and don't forget storage charges until you get the vehicle back......

 

[SAMYL]

Also another point just in case people don't realise.

If you have a TAXED car and even lock it in your garage away from the road it MUST also be insured. If you don't insure it, but it has tax you'll shortly receive a fine.

How do you tax a car without having it insured and in possession of the insurance certificate?

 

[Tranona]

How do you tax a car without having it insured and in possession of the insurance certificate?

Because the insurance only has to be valid when it is taxed. It might either run out or you can cancel insurance but still have a valid road fund licence.

 

[JonJon]

Similarly, I think with a driving license you only get so long before you have to apply for a local one, most EU countries accept the British one in exchange - unless it has expired or you've left it after the alloted time. Then you have to start again with a local test. Oh what a tangled web we weave......

 

[prv]

Similarly, I think with a driving license you only get so long before you have to apply for a local one, most EU countries accept the British one in exchange - unless it has expired or you've left it after the alloted time. Then you have to start again with a local test. Oh what a tangled web we weave......

I don't think that's correct these days. I was looking into this the other way round for my German housemate. Certainly in her case her German license would be valid in the UK indefinitely, no need to swap it for a British one. I believe it's meant to work like that between all EU countries. It only gets complicated when you have a non-EU license; a Canadian friend could drive on her Canadian license for a year, and then had to take a test to get a British license. And licenses from some other countries (presumably with lower standards) have less validity or none at all here.

Pete