Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
Every vehicle in Northern Ireland must either be taxed or have a SORN Declaration in force, stating that it will not be used or kept on a public road. Under the SORN Scheme, when your tax expires you must either renew your disc or make a SORN declaration if you intend keeping your vehicle off the road.
A SORN declaration must be made in writing and may be made on a number of Licence Reminder forms, i.e. V10b(NI) V11(NI), V11b(NI), V13(NI),
If you are applying for a refund of your tax disc because you are taking the vehicle off the road, you can make a SORN declaration on the V14(NI) refund application form.
You can also use a V15(NI) SORN only form to make a declaration. The completed form should be returned to Vehicle Licensing Central Office or any Local Vehicle Licensing Office.
After making a SORN declaration you will receive a SORN acknowledgement. Your name, address and the registration mark of the vehicle on which the SORN declaration has been made will be printed on it.
If you do not receive an acknowledgement within 4 weeks of declaring SORN contact DVLNI by telephone on 0845 402 4000 or International Tel :- +44 120 477 0768 or write to us at:
DVLNI
County Hall
Castlerock Road
Coleraine
BT51 3TA
(If you contact DVLNI outside office hours, you will be given the option to transfer to the Agency's information line where you will be given basic information.)
A SORN declaration is valid for 12 months or until the vehicle is sold or disposed of. If you intend to put the vehicle back on the road before the 12 months are up, then you must tax it before doing so.
If the vehicle remains off the road for the full 12 months and you are still the registered keeper you may be sent a V11(NI) reminder form when the SORN declaration is about to expire. When the SORN declaration expires you must either re-tax your vehicle or if you are continuing to keep the vehicle off the public road you must make a new SORN declaration.
