Remember to SORN your bike

These days there is more and more paperwork attached to owning a bike whether it’s on the road or not.

If you do decide to take your bike off the road you have to register it as off the road with the DVLA, otherwise known as Statutory Off Road Notification or SORN. You can do it online, on the phone or at the Post Office.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) carries out a check of its records each month to identify untaxed vehicles and it has the authority to carry out enforcement action against you using the information held on its records.

That’s going to be an £80 fine in the first instance. If you drag it out you could also get a County Court Judgment against you, and be fined a minimum of £1000.

The maximum penalty for making a false SORN, when the vehicle is actually used or kept on a public road, is £5000 and imprisonment.

With all that hanging over you, it’s dreadful when you can’t find the SORN paperwork for your bike.

The good news is that you can check the date of liability for your bike via http://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk  or by calling vehicle enquiries on 0300 790 6802. 

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