SORN Check
Check if a car is SORN, taxed or untaxed by registration. VEHIXA shows the current DVLA tax status alongside MOT status and MOT history.
What Is a SORN Check?
SORN stands for Statutory Off Road Notification. It tells the DVLA that a vehicle is being kept off public roads and is not currently taxed for road use. A SORN check uses the registration number to confirm the vehicle's current tax status from DVLA data.
GOV.UK states that its vehicle tax service can show whether a vehicle has up-to-date vehicle tax or has been registered off road as SORN. If you have recently applied for tax or SORN, GOV.UK says records can take up to 2 working days to update after approval.
Why SORN Matters When Buying
A SORN marker is not always a problem. Some vehicles are stored, restored, kept off road between seasons or waiting for repair. But a car advertised as ready to drive should not usually be SORN. If it is, you need to understand why before paying a deposit.
A SORN vehicle must be taxed before it is used on public roads. You should also check the MOT status, because a stored car may also have an expired MOT or a long gap in its test history.
What to Check Next
- Check whether the seller has the V5C logbook and the right to sell the vehicle.
- Review the MOT history for long gaps, failures and mileage changes.
- Run a vehicle check before buying to identify finance, stolen or write-off risks.
- If the car will be used in London, check emissions details with the ULEZ check guide.
Official reference: GOV.UK vehicle tax check.