Vehicle Tax
What it is:
Vehicle Tax is a legal requirement for all vehicles used or kept on public roads in the UK. You must pay it before your vehicle can be legally driven or parked on a public highway.
Who must pay:
Cars, vans, motorcycles, and most vehicles must be taxed
Rates vary by vehicle type, age and emissions, and updates to tax bands may apply
How to pay:
You can pay online, by phone or at a Post Office - and you can set up Direct Debit to renew automatically.
Important:
Not taxing a vehicle that is kept on a public road is an offence and can lead to fines and enforcement action.
MOT - annual safety test
What it is:
The MOT test checks your vehicle meets minimum road safety and environmental standards.
Driving without an MOT:
It’s illegal to drive or park on a public road without a valid MOT if one is due
Exception: you may drive a vehicle only to or from a pre-booked MOT appointment, provided the vehicle is insured, roadworthy and not dangerous
Penalties:
If you drive a vehicle without an MOT you risk heavy fines, possible penalty points or driving ban and your insurance may be invalid without a valid MOT.
SORN- Statutory Off-Road Notification
What SORN means:
A Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) is a formal declaration to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) that your vehicle is off the road and not being used or kept on a public road.
When you must make one:
You need to declare SORN if you want to stop taxing and insuring the vehicle while it’s off the road, for example when:
The vehicle isn’t taxed
The vehicle isn’t insured
You’re storing the vehicle on private land
You plan to strip or scrap the vehicle
How to make it:
You can make a SORN online, by phone, or by post with DVLA, using details from your vehicle documents (V5C or V11).
Rules while SORN applies:
The vehicle must be off the public road - kept on private land, driveway or inside a garage
You cannot drive or park it on a public road, except to or from a pre-booked MOT test
You must insure the vehicle before driving it to or from such pre-booked test or before you drive or park the vehicle on the public road.