Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not know that an off road car must be insured?

34 replies

Strawpollplease · 17/01/2026 14:28

I took my car off the road last October because it failed its MOT. It has been sat in my driveway since, I didn’t declare it SORN because the road tax is only £30 and I wouldn’t have got a refund. I’ve just been fined £100 because it is an offence to own a vehicle that’s not insured, if you haven’t registered it off-road with DVLA. Did everyone else know this? I’m now feeling a bit foolish and a bit cross!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
ginasevern · 17/01/2026 17:24

You don't have to insure an off road car that has been SORN'd. But if you don't SORN your vehicle the DVLA will assume it's still actively being used. How would they know otherwise? You can of course continue to insure a SORN car if you wish to.

CraftyMintHedgehog · 17/01/2026 16:40

wombat1a · 17/01/2026 15:39

I thought everyone knew you had to SORN it?

Actually you'd be surprised at how many people don't, because in other countries you do NOT need to insure a car if it isn't being driven on the roads. In Australia you don't. Other countries have a system where you can temporarily declare it off road.

After all, if you're not driving on the roads, then what is the point of insurance? People take out 3rd party insurance which only pays out damage to other vehicles if you're on the road, so if you're not on the road you can't hit another car. So it is therefore a common misconception that you don't have to have insurance if your car isn't being used on the road, given you'd just have to accept the cost if it got damaged on your own property.

In the UK it is a legal requirement to have your car continuously insured, and the only time you can not have it insured is if you legally declare the car to be off road (SORN).

catownerofthenorth · 17/01/2026 16:24

I don’t know why you feel entitled to be cross. Yes I knew this. That’s my responsibility to know as a car driver.

Lavenderosemary · 17/01/2026 16:03

I didn't know that. I bought a second car and had it on the driveway for months - it never occurred to me that I needed insurance. Thank you for sharing - sometimes something isnt obvious until its pointed out :)

YourPoliteLeader · 17/01/2026 15:51

wombat1a · 17/01/2026 15:39

I thought everyone knew you had to SORN it?

So this thread just have blown your mind and you are reeling from the discovery

wombat1a · 17/01/2026 15:39

I thought everyone knew you had to SORN it?

YourPoliteLeader · 17/01/2026 15:36

HostaCentral · 17/01/2026 15:31

Apart from the SORN declaration etc, I would still insure a serviceable car. What if it gets stolen, or with this weather, flooded out, or a tree falls on it........

Well you would not declare it off road then, you’d just insure it, and it would be parked on your driveway unused

HostaCentral · 17/01/2026 15:31

Apart from the SORN declaration etc, I would still insure a serviceable car. What if it gets stolen, or with this weather, flooded out, or a tree falls on it........

RecordBreakers · 17/01/2026 15:26

shouldofgotamortage · 17/01/2026 14:33

Everyone knows that.

Except clearly they don't.

As the OP didn't, and other on this thread didn't.

I mean, I think if I weren't driving for some months, I'd probably have looked it up rather than assumed, but it isn't something I've ever dealt with, so I can't say I "knew" it, no. I would think many, if not most people would be the same.

busyd4y · 17/01/2026 15:21

shouldofgotamortage · 17/01/2026 14:33

Everyone knows that.

Really? Id be very surprised if they did, I know because I've done it in the past but surely most people don't know about SORN rules, I didn't before I had to do it

BlueRedCat · 17/01/2026 15:18

Wasn’t that the purpose of SORN in the first place so to let the DVLA know that it was off the road and not being driven? Otherwise your car was just parked on your driveway - how would anyone know if it was or was not being driven?

JanuaryJasmine · 17/01/2026 14:48

Strawpollplease · 17/01/2026 14:38

This is making me laugh. You are all right of course, it was very stupid of me! Does it make it worse that I’m a lawyer 😬.

Yes 🤣

in what field?

(just so, you know, I can be super careful who not to choose🤣🤣)

and you should be able to write a good appeal!!

JanuaryJasmine · 17/01/2026 14:45

shouldofgotamortage · 17/01/2026 14:33

Everyone knows that.

Well, clearly not.

yes @Strawpollplease I did know that, but I'm in my 50's & you accumulate a lot of shite in your head! I'm sure that's why you forget stuff you need to remember, there's just no space left!

you could try to get off it?!

but think about it logically, how were they to know you're not driving it? Which is why you have to sorn it. 🥹. It's not there to save you money, 🥹

but nothing to lose by sending an appeal.

jamandcustard · 17/01/2026 14:44

Strawpollplease · 17/01/2026 14:41

I suppose I just assumed that if I wasn’t driving it it was up to me whether it was insured. But I know what a problem uninsured drivers are so this clearly makes sense.

But how would anyone know you weren't driving it?

HighStreetOtter · 17/01/2026 14:42

I had exactly the same a while ago so not just you OP.

Littletreefrog · 17/01/2026 14:42

Strawpollplease · 17/01/2026 14:38

This is making me laugh. You are all right of course, it was very stupid of me! Does it make it worse that I’m a lawyer 😬.

In the nicest way possible, yes it does. But we can all have a brain fart occasionally.

Original poster
Strawpollplease · 17/01/2026 14:41

I suppose I just assumed that if I wasn’t driving it it was up to me whether it was insured. But I know what a problem uninsured drivers are so this clearly makes sense.

OP posts:
BethBynnag86 · 17/01/2026 14:40

I've never owned a car ever,but when DF died I knew that I had to get SORNs for both his cars until we could sort out what to do with them.

Original poster
Strawpollplease · 17/01/2026 14:39

GreenPoms · 17/01/2026 14:37

You title is misleading. It’s not that an off road car has to be insured. You only need to insure it if you haven’t declared it to be off road.

Yes, sorry, agreed.

OP posts:
PercyPigInAWig · 17/01/2026 14:38

I had a SORN when I had an injury and changed the car insurance to fire and theft.

I did look up what to do, wasn't sure. Sorry you got a fine.

YourPoliteLeader · 17/01/2026 14:38

Strawpollplease · 17/01/2026 14:38

This is making me laugh. You are all right of course, it was very stupid of me! Does it make it worse that I’m a lawyer 😬.

Kinda

Original poster
Strawpollplease · 17/01/2026 14:38

This is making me laugh. You are all right of course, it was very stupid of me! Does it make it worse that I’m a lawyer 😬.

OP posts:
GreenPoms · 17/01/2026 14:37

You title is misleading. It’s not that an off road car has to be insured. You only need to insure it if you haven’t declared it to be off road.

TheatreTheatre · 17/01/2026 14:37

Ooops!

Sorry you got caught out OP.

But yes I did know / assume that.

jamandcustard · 17/01/2026 14:37

I thought everyone knew that 😬