SORN

[vojx]

When did SORN come in? I've been out of the country 3 years now, returning in 2007 to hopefully get the car back on the road. I vaguely remember telling the DVLA that the car was off the road (ca 2000), but now i've read up on SORN, and find that i should have been renewing it every year.

BIG problem brewing. They quote these big fines for failure to do as they say, so i'm really rather loathe to ask what the current status of my car is. I've tried their website checker, but no joy (doesn't recognise the car) . The SORNs are sent to your address as at the DVLA - is that for the car, or for the owner? cos living abroad, i cant change the address on my UK driver's licence, so officially i still live in the uk.

i expect to return and be treated like a tax dodger (or worse ), end up with a huge fine, perhaps the car taken away, prison sentences are mentioned.

Perhaps i should just SVA and reregister?

[Ferg]

The SORN declaration is an either/or when they ask you to tax it. I'm fairly sure it's been going quite a bit longer than 3 years. I SORN declared a car in 1999.
Having said this I have tried on four separate ocassions to SORN declare my Tiger 90 and they just ignore me.......

[vojx]

Its been off the road since ca 1999, and i did report it so, but dont recall if it was a SORN document or ticking a box on the tax reminder?

of course i dont have copies of such things, and the way that new uk laws seem to assume you are guilty unless you can prove otherwise kind of puts me in a pessimistic frame of mind.

"always look on the bright side of life. . . "

[Andysmith]

Heres how i think the sorn declaration works hope its of help.Up until a few years ago making a sorn declaration was voluntary however the law has changed and it is now a legal requirement.When the tax is up on your car a reminder is sent through the post and you either take this to the taxation office and retax the car or you tick the box to declare the car offroad you send it to the nearest taxation office and a few days later they send you notification of your sorn,this has to be renewed every twelve months.The reminder form is normally sent to the address of the registered keeper that appears on your log book.As you declared the car offroad before the change in the law my guess is you are covered but don,t quote me on this i,d have thought they would have been in contact with you by now if something was amiss however you may have problems retaxing the car after this time,personally i have had no problems in declaring my sprint on a sorn or retaxing after a layup.Hope this helps a bit.Andy S.

[vojx]

ta for the input.

the car is still registered under my old UK address, and nothing gets forwarded by the new owner.

i think an SVA test and reregistration still seems the best bet