If you plan to keep your car off the public road for an extended period of time, you’ll want to apply for a SORN, which stands for Statutory Off Road Notice.
In the UK, all drivers must pay Vehicle Excise Duty – more commonly known as road tax – if they drive or park a car on public roads. The DVLA sends every driver a reminder before their road tax is due, but if they don’t pay, they run the risk of receiving a hefty fine. If you’re not going to be driving or parking on the public road, then you don’t need to pay road tax, but you will need to let the DVLA know so you're not fined by mistake.
But why would you want to register your vehicle as SORN and stop using it on the public road? Some scenarios include when your car is undergoing extensive repairs or restorations, or if you’re planning to be out of the country for a long period of time. If you own a classic car or convertible that you only use during summer, you may SORN it over winter, although some classic cars are eligible for ‘Historic’ status and are exempt from VED entirely.
