What's the legal status of a car without MoT, SORN or road tax?

What would be the legal status of a vehicle that is kept off the public highway, has no road fund licence (car tax), MoT, SORN or insurance? Also, when the DVLA make their regular updates, are they likely to pursue the registered owner or keeper if they find such a vehicle in their records?

Asked on 29 September 2013 by William Jackson

Answered by Honest John

If the vehicle has been off the road since before (I think) 1998 it no longer officially exists, so no need to declare a SORN. If it has ever been taxed since 1998 then you either have to tax and insure it or make a SORN declaration. There is no alternative to one of these two course of action.

If a vehicle has not been SORNed and is not insured the registered keeper will receive one reminder and will then be pursued for failure to insure a motor vehicle. The fines and licence points are quite stiff.

Tags: sorn legal and consumer advice mot road tax storing cars

Similar questions

Declared my car SORN during Covid, how do I get it back on the road?

I declared my car SORN during Covid as I was working from home. Its MoT also ran. Now, I want to tax it and do an MoT. But I can't tax it without an MoT, how can I get an MoT done?

Do I have to insure my car even though it's just parked outside my house for the forseeable future?

My vehicle is parked on the road outside my house when not in use. I'm visiting my daughter in Australia soon and expect to be out of the country for approximately five months. I have tax and MoT on the...

A business has parked about 15 vehicles for sale on our residential road - is this legal?

A family bought a property nearby and they obviously buy and sell cars from it. I've seen cars from the lot with adverts in the windows and they park them in the high street and drop them back later. They've...