Yes, but only on one narrow journey. GOV.UK states that a vehicle with a SORN can be driven on a public road only to or from a pre-booked MOT or other testing appointment. A SORN, or Statutory Off Road Notification, is the notice you give when a vehicle is taken off the road, so this exception matters for anyone who needs to test a stored vehicle before putting it back into use.
What a SORN does
A SORN is the notice you make when you take a vehicle off the road and want to stop taxing and insuring it. GOV.UK treats a vehicle as off the road when it is not kept or used on a public road, for example when it is in a garage, on a drive or on private land. If a vehicle does not have a SORN, GOV.UK says it must be insured and taxed.
The MOT journey exception
The exception is narrow, and it covers the trip itself rather than any other use of the vehicle. The journey must be to or from a pre-booked appointment, so the booking should be in place before the vehicle leaves its storage spot. A SORN ends once the vehicle is taxed again, so a car that passes its test and goes straight back into use needs tax first.
Before moving a SORN vehicle to a test, work through this checklist:
- Confirm the appointment date, time and testing station in writing.
- Check the vehicle's SORN status on GOV.UK so you know exactly where it stands.
- Plan a journey that goes only to or from the appointment.
- Ask your insurer what cover applies for the trip.
If the car needs repairs before it can pass, you can compare MOT and repair workshops through our vehicle and plant repair category, or look at options in MOT and repair garages in London if the vehicle is stored in the capital.
Buying a car that is already SORN
A SORN does not pass to the next owner. GOV.UK says you cannot transfer a SORN from the previous keeper, so if you buy or receive a vehicle and want to keep it off the road, you must make your own SORN. Check the vehicle's SORN status before you pay.
If you want to use the vehicle on a public road after buying it, it must be taxed first, because taxing a vehicle is what cancels the SORN.
Timing and ending a SORN
- A SORN cannot be backdated.
- If you apply in the month your vehicle tax is due to expire, the SORN starts on the first day of the next month.
- You receive an automatic tax refund for any full remaining months.
- The vehicle must stay in the UK for the SORN to remain valid.
- The SORN is cancelled automatically when you tax the vehicle again, or when you sell, permanently export or scrap it.
