Our Guide to Selling a SORN Car

If you own a car that has been declared off the road with a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), you may be curious about the process of selling it. While it may seem like selling a SORN car is more complicated than selling a taxed car, it can actually be a relatively simple process with the right information!

Transferring Ownership of a SORN Car

Before you can sell a SORN car, you must first transfer ownership of the vehicle. This means that you need to complete and submit the V5C registration certificate (commonly referred to as the logbook) to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) with the new owner's details. It's essential to ensure that the DVLA has updated records of who the current registered keeper is. Failure to do so may result in you continuing to be responsible for the car, even after it has been sold.

Selling a SORN car that isn’t roadworthy

If your SORN car is not roadworthy, you may still be able to sell it for parts or as a project car. However, you'll need to make it clear to the buyer that the car is not roadworthy and is being sold as-is. You may also need to provide a declaration that the car is not roadworthy to protect yourself from any future legal issues.

Selling a SORN Car for Scrap

If you're planning to scrap your SORN car, it's essential to use a licensed scrap dealer. This is not only a legal requirement, but it also ensures that your vehicle is disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. You should ensure that you receive a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) from the dealer, which indicates that your vehicle has been destroyed according to the law. You can also inform the DVLA that the vehicle has been scrapped and no longer needs to be registered.

Do You Need to SORN a Vehicle You Have Sold?

Once you have transferred ownership of your SORN car to the new owner, you no longer need to SORN the vehicle. The new owner is responsible for taxing, insuring, or SORNing the car. If you sell the car to a dealer, they may take care of the necessary paperwork for you, but it's always a good idea to confirm this before completing the sale.

Selling a Car Without Road Tax

It's possible to sell a car without road tax, but it's illegal to drive a car on the road without it. If the car has been declared off the road with a SORN, you won't need to pay road tax before selling it. However, the new owner will need to arrange for road tax before driving the vehicle on the road. They can do this online or at the post office.

How Much Does It Cost to UnSORN a Car?

It's free to take a car off the SORN register. All you need to do is inform the DVLA that you intend to start using the car again, and they will update their records accordingly. However, before you drive the car on the road, you must ensure that you have valid car insurance and road tax. You can tax your vehicle online or at a Post Office branch.

Selling a SORN car with outstanding finance

If you have outstanding finance on your SORN car, you'll need to settle it before you can sell it. You'll need to contact your finance provider to find out how much you owe and arrange to pay it off. Once you've settled the finance, you can transfer ownership of the vehicle and sell it.

Selling a SORN car that has been modified

If your SORN car has been modified, it may be more difficult to sell. Some modifications may make the car illegal to drive on the road, which could limit your potential buyer pool. You'll need to be upfront about any modifications when selling the car and ensure that the buyer understands what they're getting.