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[JamesV6CDX]

My MV6 has broken down. It's gearbox has blown up. At the time of the breakdown, naturally, car is insured, Taxed, MOT'd, etc etc...

I have bought a TD as a runaround, while I repair my MV6.

Insurance has been swapped from the MV6, to the TD. The MV6 is parked on my own private land, off the road.

The law states that, even though the MV6 is on my private property, I must claim a refund on the tax, or face a £100 penalty for keeping it un-insured, even though it's on my private driiveway.

Well bang goes my idea. I wanted to take it off the road for a couple of weeks while I fix it, and perhaps day-insure it (whilst still taxed) to test the repairs.

Don't get me wrong, I can't stand un-insured drivers, but, why when I keen an un-insured car on my own property, do the rules mean I need to get a refund on the tax. Really is nuts!

[JamesV6CDX]

The only benefit I can see to this law, is to stop someone obtaining a taxed vehicle, and subsequently driving it without insurance.

Really doesn't help the law abiding motorist, who wants to take something off the road for a few weeks, for repairs....

[feeutfo]

Sorn?

[aaronjb]

Sorn?

That's your only option - it means, of course, losing out financially.. That or keeping it insured.

[albitz]

If its only for a couple of weeks you may be ok I would think.

[mantahatch]

I still think it is a grey area, as they only refund you for full months tax you should be safe till the end of the month.  I have a moped in my garage with no MOT no insurance and yet still has a tax disc on it till May. Tax cost £15 year and they do not offer a tax refund on it. So I am refusing to send it in. Will have to wait and see if they fine me for it.

[Ken T]

No, just sorn it but leave the tax running. Then swap back insurance again, or what ever. That's what I did when I changed over to my new mig, I sorned my old one but left the tax on it till it ran out, just in case I needed to swap back for a couple of days. They can't make you cancel the road tax.

Funny how several Gov dept don't seem to work very well, seem to be missing a bit of common sense.

Ken

[TheBoy]

Not sure you can SORN and still have tax. Thought it was one or other?

[albitz]

Yep.Would have to send the disc back.Ludicrous situation imo.

[Kevin Wood]

As usual, the law-abiding jump through hoops, while those who couldn't give a cr*p whether they have tax, insurance, cloned plates, etc. carry on as usual.

[SJKOO01]

James,

Not sure if this info would be of help to you.


When SORN is needed
SORN applies to all tax classes including those where no duty is payable, such as historic and disabled tax classes.

You must make a SORN if one of the following applies:
•   if you don’t renew your vehicle tax and you are keeping the vehicle off the road
•   if you are applying for a refund of vehicle tax and keeping the vehicle off the road
•   if you buy an untaxed vehicle and do not tax it
•   if the vehicle has no valid insurance in place
•   if you are cancelling the insurance and keeping the vehicle off the road
•   every 12 months if you continue to keep your vehicle off the road
•   in advance if your vehicle is to be kept off the road in the UK when you are abroad

You can make a SORN from the fifth day of the month in which the current tax disc or SORN is due to expire. SORN cannot be backdated.
Your SORN is valid for 12 months, unless you tax, sell, permanently export or scrap (via an authorised treatment facility) the vehicle before this period has ended. You should be sent a V11 reminder to let you know that your SORN is about to expire, which you can then use to renew your SORN or re-tax your vehicle.

When SORN isn't needed - SORN isn’t needed if:
•   you no longer have the vehicle and DVLA has been informed
•   you take the vehicle abroad permanently
•   you apply for a refund of vehicle tax and don’t keep the vehicle
•   you are keeping the vehicle off the road and untaxed for less than 14 days
•   your vehicle was last taxed before 31 January 1998

Using or keeping a vehicle on a public road 
A public road is a road maintained at the public expense, including grass verges and ground adjoining the road. Contact your local authority if you have any doubt about an area where you want to park your vehicle. All vehicles that are used or kept on a public road must be taxed and must display a valid tax disc at all times.

Hope that helps you out 

[JamesV6CDX]

Cheers Gooseman,

It still says a sorn SHOULD be made if no insurance in force, though, and that doesn't mention any 14 day period...   

[zirk]

Its 14 days from the Insurance coming off the MID, or not being on it, after 14 Days (or up to a month), your get a letter from a dept at Milton Keynes, telling you to Insure it or Sorn it within 30 Days or face a fine, after 30 Days your get a fine of £100, reduced to £50 if paid early, not sure what happens after that, haven't got that far yet, that's the way it seems to run at the moment, not sure if they will change it in the future.

Only reason I know all this, is I was driving a Car on Traders Insurance (not sure why it wasn't on the MID), and must have got picked up on a ANPR somewhere.

Chris. 

[2woody]

You can SORN a car that is still taxed - i do it regularly.

In DVLAs view there's no reason you'd want to, but they know far from everything. As has been said, they can't make you send back the tax.

If you SORN a vehicle, it doesn't automatically bring it off the "taxed" database. Likewise if you tax a vehicle, it doesn't automatically bring it off the SORN database.