Can you sell a SORN car?

You’ve probably seen the acronym SORN when looking at used vehicles, particularly those that may not have been driven for a while. It’s the government’s way of confirming that a vehicle is going to be off the road for a period of time – but what does it mean when you’re selling a car?

Our guide below explains what SORN means, how to declare a car SORN, and how to sell a car that you’ve declared is off the road.

What is a SORN car?

SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification, which is the official way of declaring to the DVLA that your car is off the road and not being taxed.

You may choose to SORN a car if you have decided you won’t be using it for a while, such as if it’s a classic car that you don’t use during the winter months, if you’ve got a vehicle you’re selling as parts, if you’re unable to insure it for a while, or you’re simply storing a car in your garage with no intention to drive it any time soon.

With the car on SORN, you won’t need to pay VED for the period it’s off the road, but if you choose to drive it again, you’ll need to make sure it’s taxed and insured as normal before you do. There are fines for driving uninsured, and an automatic £80 fine if you fail to SORN an untaxed vehicle.

How to SORN a car

If you want to SORN a car you can contact the DVLA online, by phone, or by post. Applications for a SORN online only need the 11-digit reference number in your car’s V5C logbook, or the 16-digit code sent through with a vehicle tax reminder. You can also phone the DVLA on 0300 123 4321, or by sending application form V890 to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR.

How to sell a SORN car

There is nothing to prevent you from selling a car on SORN, but you will need to make it clear to potential buyers that the car is SORN, as they will need to organise tax for the car or declare the car SORN themselves if they buy it.

Selling to a dealer

The process of selling a SORN car to a dealer isn’t much different from selling a taxed vehicle to a dealer in part exchange – you’ll simply need to make it clear that the car is SORN, and may need to make arrangements with the dealer on how the car is collected.

Selling it privately

As with selling to a dealer, you’ll need to be clear up front to private buyers that the car you’re selling is SORN. Otherwise, the process of transferring ownership is the same as normal, with you and the buyer filling out, keeping, and sending off the relevant sections of the V5C logbook.

Just remember that if you or the potential buyer intend to test drive the car before the sale, the car will need to be properly taxed and insured, as you cannot drive a SORN car on the road. Likewise, as soon as you’ve sold the car, the buyer will need to tax and insure the car if they want to drive it away, or arrange for it to be collected.

Selling it with Auto Express

Our Sell My Car service is one of the easiest methods of selling a car, because once your car has been bid on by dealers around the country, they will come to collect it, with no need to tax or insure the car for test drives. Just bear in mind that you’re likely to get a little less money for a SORN car than a fully taxed and insured one.

Can I scrap a SORN car?

Just as you can sell a SORN car, you can scrap one too, and a scrap yard will probably be less bothered about its SORN status than a buyer would. The only real thing to remember is that once again, you won’t be able to drive your car to its final resting place, so you or the company you’re using to dispose of it will need to arrange transportation.

The SORN will be removed when the vehicle is scrapped, and just as when you sell a car you’ll receive a notification from the DVLA to confirm you’re no longer the registered keeper, you’ll get a similar note after the car has been scrapped.

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