OT - DVLA

I had a licence renewal (unused) for my Solex, pre-SORN, and as my work occasionally takes me to a DVLA office, I asked the question. I was told that once I had obtained a (free) tax disc for this vehicle it would become "liable" for SORN, but not before. I assume this means it's currently effectively "fallen off" the system, but will climb back on if or when I licence it for road use again.

Brian L Dominic

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Brian,

Is correct, I have a Sunbeam Imp Sport, for sale by the way, and when I sent off earlier this year for the new log book I was told in writing that sorn does not count as it has not been taxed since the sorn ruling came in but as soon as it is taxed it will fall into the sorn net.

Mart> On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 15:03:26 -0000, "Kim Siddorn"

You are right, Kim, you are indeed tempting some people out of the wood work. I have a number of classic vehicles (ahem, 15) which are off the road. Some pre-dating SORN and some I have bought since the introduction of SORN. The moment I obtained the V5 in my name, the new vehicles, although they had been off the road for years, became eligible for SORN. No big problem really while it is free. I too enquired whether my existing vehicles should be covered by SORN and was advised that it was not applicable since I had owned them since pre-SORN. At the present time, the only way to get them into SORN is to either change hands (i.e. V5 re-issue) or tax them and then take them off the road again, declaring SORN for evermore. Taxing is free of course, but needs an MOT even so, so not an option if a vehicle is not roadworthy.

I suspect that you may be right that one day SORN will incurr a fee, but I think that before that there will still be an attempt to determine how many vehicles are really out there that DVLA do not know about. DVLA see their role as mainly crime prevention etc., so it is slightly sad to find them continually casting their eyes towards the enthusiast.

So most importantly - are your V5 documents upgraded to the new V5C? This should have happened automatically, i.e. they send a V5C straight to you. In my case some did and some did not - including a vehicle actually taxed and on the road! The deadline is now passed for automatic update. So it is neccesary to write and claim a new form if you do not have one. Rather quaintly, DVLA say you must specifically ask in writing - not just send the old V5 and expect them to know what to do with it. It is a free issue. Unlike the automatic issue, the old V5 must be sent with the covering letter. DVLA lost one of mine so take care to make a xerox copy for your own records.

I think if SORN is introduced for all vehicles then it will be rolled out to everything on the computer listed as having a V5C. At this point all the V5 vehicles will be declared void (if that has not happened before this time). I am not saying this is actually happening, but this seems the next logical step.

Regards, Nick Webster

A minor point, but you also need to put it in writing to the DVLA if you want the old V5 returned with the new V5C.

Regards

JohnR