SORN - Taxing online and driving before disc arrives?

[IROC-Z]

My car is currently SORN and I'd like to get it back on the road for Sunday to attend the Goodwood Breakfast club meet. A spur of the moment decision!

The insurance is currently suspended because the car is 'laid up' in my garage, so tomorrow I'm going to phone my insurance company and ask them to reactivate it.

I'm assuming that they are unable to email the documents, so if I've not got the insurance documents through the post in time, can I apply for a tax disc online and drive before it arrives?

Thanks

[ewenm]

Officially you need to pay for the tax AND display a tax disc to be legal. Also, not sure how quickly the insurance database updates so the DVLA online might not recognise your re-activated insurance immediately

[marshalla]

5 days' grace according to DVLA.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/motoring/owningavehicl...

[jagracer]

You now have five days grace with the tax disc but don't bank on the insurance company updating the database too quickly, my daughter's new car took well over a week to go on.

[Zoobeef]

As above, if the database isnt updated then the online renewal will refuse you. The insurance should be able to fax or email you though

[jondude]

Yes, do think the lack of instant insurance database updating could end this idea for you.

If it does go through, you can drive without a worry (ANPR will flag it as taxed)......but the complete opposite worry wise if you park the car and walk away from it on a public road. The police could have it towed as there will be no tax showing, although you'd hope common sense would prevail and they'd call the DVLA first before getting the clampers/tow trucks in.

But for total peace of mind, don't park it on a public road while you wait for the disc.

• I am not so sure of this anymore, but it used to be the police could only report you to the DVLA for 'not displaying a disc' and the DVLA decided what to do - in your case, they do nothing as you have paid and they are the ones insisting on posting discs. If the police can issue fines now on their behalf, be very careful. Still low odds of you meeting such a jobsworth copper, surely???

[mybrainhurts]

My local DVLA office sold me a duplicate disc. I was spotted by a warden while I was waiting for it and the DVLA thought they'd better issue a fine because they didn't know when I had taxed it because Swansea faxed them date details of the wrong car.

Even though they knew they'd issued a duplicate before I was spotted by the warden.

It took me one hour at the DVLA office to get them to back down and they only backed down because I found the original lost disc and placed it on the counter.

In view of the foregoing, expect irrational trouble from that tub of monkeys.

[Fish981]

marshalla said:

5 days' grace according to DVLA.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/motoring/owningavehicl...

Only covers the first five days of the month so not applicable in this case.

[Noger]

Fish981 said:

Only covers the first five days of the month so not applicable in this case.

Indeed. Not sure how it works mid month.

I am fairly certain that last time I looked at the SORN document it only required you to send back the disc if you wanted a refund, but it has (I think) now changed so you always must send it back ? I wonder what they do if you don't ? And then re-insure ? I have a tax and insurance. Is there an offence of "driving whilst SORNED" ?

So now the only way to "un sorn" is to apply for a tax disc. Which if you pay (or don't) £0 historic vehicle, is just a waste of everyones time and money.

[saaby93]

IROC-Z said:

My car is currently SORN and I'd like to get it back on the road for Sunday to attend the Goodwood Breakfast club meet. A spur of the moment decision!

The insurance is currently suspended because the car is 'laid up' in my garage, so tomorrow I'm going to phone my insurance company and ask them to reactivate it.

I'm assuming that they are unable to email the documents, so if I've not got the insurance documents through the post in time, can I apply for a tax disc online and drive before it arrives?

Thanks

Previous posters have had issues with thinking they were insured when they were not and collected 6 points. Even though you think you've phoned up and have insurance, do it a week before you need cover to start so they can send through the docs in advance.

Unless its a very recent change SORN is different to tax
You can keep your car taxed all year round and just SORN/unSORN on line when you want. Trouble is it can take 20 days for confirmation paperwork to come through by which time youve probably changed it again

[Bill]

saaby93 said:

Even though you think you've phoned up and have insurance, do it a week before you need cover to start so they can send through the docs in advance.

All the ones I've dealt with recently (all specialist brokers though) will email documents pretty much instantly.

I have unSORNed and driven recently before the tax disc arrived, but I knew my car was on the insurance database so I was pretty confident I wouldn't be stopped (and carried the confirmation email from DVLA in case I was). In the OP's case though I'd be less confident.

[IROC-Z]

Thanks for all the help guys.

Well I rang the insurance company and reactivated my policy. I got them to email a copy of the cover note which I can use until I get the hard copy of the insurance certificate. The cover note states that it is 'operative from' 09:51 on 03/03/11.

Now I have a cover note, I can go to a PO and get a tax disc and not have to risk buying online but still getting done for failure to display. This is my biggest issue solved.

So from what I've read so far, even though my cover note says I'm insured, is there a chance I could flag up as uninsured by an ANPR device? Will my cover note be enough to satisfy any traffice officer that I'm insured and save me a bking/points?

[Bill]

IROC-Z said:

So from what I've read so far, even though my cover note says I'm insured, is there a chance I could flag up as uninsured by an ANPR device? Will my cover note be enough to satisfy any traffice officer that I'm insured and save me a bking/points?

Yes on both counts.

[saaby93]

Bill said:

IROC-Z said:

So from what I've read so far, even though my cover note says I'm insured, is there a chance I could flag up as uninsured by an ANPR device? Will my cover note be enough to satisfy any traffice officer that I'm insured and save me a bking/points?

Yes on both counts.

I thought it had been previously posted that the cover note no longer counts as your car payment may have bounced and cover withdrawn?

[Bill]

saaby93 said:

thought it had been previously posted that the cover note no longer counts as your car payment may have bounced and cover withdrawn?

I mutt have missed that thread, but if so then why issue a cover note at all?

[jagracer]

saaby93 said:

Bill said:

IROC-Z said:

So from what I've read so far, even though my cover note says I'm insured, is there a chance I could flag up as uninsured by an ANPR device? Will my cover note be enough to satisfy any traffice officer that I'm insured and save me a bking/points?

Yes on both counts.

I thought it had been previously posted that the cover note no longer counts as your car payment may have bounced and cover withdrawn?

At least with a cover note you have some record for the BIB to go off if they decide they want to phone the insurance Co. to check.

[IROC-Z]

I've actually already paid for the policy. I paid it all in one go when I renewed my on 16th May last year. The policy was laid up when I took the car off the road at the end of September, so they asked for my cover note back, which is why I've had to reactivate it and secure a new cover note in order to tax the car.

Are you telling me that the BIB will slap points on my license without further enquries just because I might have not paid for the insurance and might subsequently be using a void cover note to try and wriggle out of it?

Shirley they will make enquires and find out that I am indeed covered? Hopefully they will also take note that I’ve got a valid tax disc, a valid MOT certificate and I’m a pleasant chap not out to cause mischief, or am I being dreadfully naive?

[saaby93]

Bill said:

saaby93 said:

thought it had been previously posted that the cover note no longer counts as your car payment may have bounced and cover withdrawn?

I mutt have missed that thread, but if so then why issue a cover note at all?

It's no longer a cover note
You get the full insurance docs when you sign up for 12 months
However if a payment fails and you dont notice - cover is naturally withdrawn. Same when you think it's going to renew after 12 months and it doesnt. First clue is when you get pulled followed by 6 points
Trust no-one

[jagracer]

This is all pretty much how the MOT cert is going, soon to be printed on plain paper and not printed all within 5 years. It'll all be electronic.

[BDR529]

IROC-Z said:

I've actually already paid for the policy. I paid it all in one go when I renewed my on 16th May last year. The policy was laid up when I took the car off the road at the end of September, so they asked for my cover note back, which is why I've had to reactivate it and secure a new cover note in order to tax the car.

Are you telling me that the BIB will slap points on my license without further enquries just because I might have not paid for the insurance and might subsequently be using a void cover note to try and wriggle out of it?

Shirley they will make enquires and find out that I am indeed covered? Hopefully they will also take note that I’ve got a valid tax disc, a valid MOT certificate and I’m a pleasant chap not out to cause mischief, or am I being dreadfully naive?

They will most likely phone the insurance company if you get stopped while the insurance phonelines are still open. I wouldn't worry about getting any points on your license. They know that the insurance database can take up to a week to update the record.