it depends on whether you used the log book or reminder letter, log book sorns straight away- reminder letter sorns from 1st of next month which maybe what you did?

Thanks bolt, but in fact I used the V5.

If you did it by post it used to be from the date it was sent. Posted on a Sunday means no collections thus it would be collected and processed on the first, the date you were refunded from. In the days before online SORN I always used to post the unused tax disc back a few days before the end of the month to ensure I got a full refund.

Presumably DVLA staff had the Monday off, then the Tuesday off in lieu of the Sunday, so didn't get back to their desks to process your application till the Wednesday. According to the .gov website they will only refund whole months.

How else do you think that deficit is going to be paid off?

Edited by argybargy on 12/01/2018 at 10:27

For the sake of closure, here's the outcome - my error. I could have sworn it was taxed until the end of April, not the end of March.

Anyway, the lesson here is that I did succeed in declaring SORN on December 31st, which was a Sunday, and not infringing January as I suspected I had. The three months refund was therefore correct, as pointed out to me by the DVLA, in a polite and patient tone which suggested to me that they are well practised in dealing with idiot queries like mine all the time.....

Regards - braniff7