Warning for Sorn’d classics

Owners need to reapply when they go tax exempt

AStatutory Off Road Notification anomaly has come to light after reader Sean White contacted Pc. After applying to have his SORN’D 1977 Ford Escort MKII 1600 Sport classed as Historic under the new DVLA rules he received the new V5 back showing the classification as Historic. He then received a letter from MID (Motor Insurance Database) saying he was about to be fined for having no insurance.

‘The car was on SORN and had been for the past 10 years or so,’ he told Pc. ‘It’s in dry storage waiting its turn for restoration.’ Sean rang the MID and was informed that it was acting on information from DVLA about taxed vehicles with no insurance. He then checked the ‘Is it taxed?’ section of the DVLA website and found it was showing the Escort as taxed until May next year, but with no MOT. The DVLA confirmed the application for Historic classification is also an application to tax the vehicle making the effect of an application to enter the Historic taxation class, a request to relicence the vehicle. So, if a keeper wishes their vehicle to stay off the road they need to make a new SORN, as any previous SORN would not still apply.

Bob Owen from the Federation of British Historic Vehicle clubs confirmed the existence of the issue and gave the following advice: ‘We do not think that DVLA makes this quite clear in its guidance and we will be approaching it on this question.’ The solution to the problem is, once you receive the V5 back with the Historic classification, declare SORN again.

An EU directive – the response to the VNUK report and consultation – that all motorised vehicles whether on the road, race track, private land or on in storage should be insured by law, is being opposed in an unprecedented pan-european statement from Insurance Europe. Based on the assertion that the directive is unclear and ill-defined, Insurance Europe is requesting it be repealed for cars currently on SORN and also those involved in motorsport.

‘Once you get the V5, you must declare SORN again’

Is your car Historic? Check it is SORN’D if off the road.