SORN when working or living abroad

Heading overseas for work or a long trip? What you do with your vehicle depends on whether it stays in the UK or comes with you.

Checked against GOV.UK guidance · Updated 25 October 2026

Leaving the vehicle in the UK

If the car will sit at home, on a family member's drive or in storage while you're away, a SORN is usually the right answer:

1. Make sure your address on the V5C is one where post will reach someone you trust. Refunds and letters go there.
2. Make the SORN before you leave, and before cancelling insurance.
3. Arrange laid-up cover if it's valuable (SORN and insurance).
4. Ask someone to check on it and keep the battery charged (storage tips).
5. Make sure it's on private land, never parked on the street.

Taking it abroad for less than 12 months

GOV.UK says the normal UK rules still apply: the vehicle must stay taxed in the UK (and insured, with a valid MOT if needed) while it's abroad, and you must carry your V5C (Taking a vehicle out of the UK). A SORN is not an option here. Your vehicle must stay in the UK for a SORN to be valid. If you bring a vehicle back to the UK untaxed, GOV.UK says you can't drive it back in. It must be transported and a SORN made straight away.

Taking it abroad for 12 months or more

That's a permanent export. Fill in the "permanent export" section of the V5C, send it to DVLA (Swansea, SA99 1BD per GOV.UK) and keep the rest of the log book to register the vehicle in the new country. Your vehicle tax is cancelled and any full months are refunded. No SORN is needed.

Coming back

• SORN'd at home? Recommission, check the MOT (full MOT history check), insure and tax it.
• Exported and bringing it back? It'll need re-registering in the UK. See GOV.UK's import guidance.

Driving abroad? Our sister site has country guides, such as driving in Europe.