jmad Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I have just received a letter from DVLA with a £100 fine for having a car that is taxed but not insured. The car in question is taxed but we are not currently using it and so haven't renewed the insurance. It is parked on private land and not used on the road. The DVLA have said it is an offence to have a vehicle taxed with no insurance. My options are to SORN the car, or insure it. The plan is that we will probably insure it later this month anyway but does anybody know what the rules are in having a taxed car that is not on the road uninsured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I'm afraid this is correct. If a car is taxed, it must be insured. It is assumed that if you're going to pay to tax your car, you're going to use it on the road. That's why when you tax it online, the system checks that you have insurance and a MOT. They have the power to go on to private property to seize a vehicle where the tax has expired and has not been SORN'd, and perhaps this is the same when taxed but uninsured. You can get insurance to cover the car for circumstances where it's just parked on private land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dombanks Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 i think the law changed in 2011 under the name "continuous insurance enforcement" or summat like that. it was to combat uninsured drivers. basically their argument revolves around the simple premise that if your not insuring because your not using the car then why do you need tax? why not sorn at the time you lay it up. you can always drop out of sorn at any time. if you do have tax then you must intend to use the car at some point so insure it. crap argument but kind of black and white. and i guess a good money maker as you'll lose cash at some point. either cashing in the tax for sorn or getting new tax after sorn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikef Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Here - https://www.gov.uk/sorn-statutory-off-road-notification Halfway down with an exclamation mark. It must be taxed and insured unless it is SORNed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikef Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Must type quicker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Waterfall Syman84 Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 This is correct I have fallen fowl to this myself on the camper when I started arguing about it they started court proceedings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmad Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 Thanks for the replies I have had the same response from the DVLA. I can understand what they are trying to do but it seems a bit heavy handed in this case. Car has been taxed continuously, and the insurance ran out the middle of last month. As we didn't plan on using it until later this month and it is parked in a secure area we thought we would save a months insurance. Oh well you live and learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 We all pay an average of £30 in our insurance policies to pay for the damages caused by uninsured drivers, so you can see why they finally clamped down on them. I'm happy that the number of uninsured drivers on the road is being reduced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Oops, just hurriedly SORN'd my old Suzuki; taxed but not insured (I let it lapse), as it needs a few bits doing to pass the MOT before I get rid or turn into another weekend toy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmad Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 Dave, as my fine has helped you not get one are we going half's on mine , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 No worries, the cheques like totally in the post dude! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dommo Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I got a warning from the DVLA rather than a fine. Slightly different circumstances (but must have looked the same to the DVLA) - the insurers forgot to update the registration plate after I put my private plate on and notified them. I wonder what triggers them to send a fine or send a warning first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tisme Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 At least now it's so much easier to SORN online and once done, you don't need to do it every year (as you used to or you'd get fined) - they don;t send out reminders either for the same reason. Although it's unpleasant to get "caught out" when you're doing something that you believe isn't a deliberate attempt to evade paying road tax or having a car insured, but it's reassuring to know that the DVLA may have finally got their act together with checking the status of cars (even the MOT shows up on a vehicle check now). For too many times in the past we saw untaxed (and probably uninsured) vehicles where we live. And now with no visible road tax disc, the DVLA need to be on the ball. You could try explaining the situation to the DVLA but I doubt they'll be at all sympathetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhutch Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Yes, as said, everyone got a letter about it (or atleast is did, on of each car) and the one time I did lapse my insurance a bit for a few months on car I got a warning that I needed to insure or sorn it. Allthough I was planing to do that before the deadline they gave anyway I think so ended up doing no more. For us its a bit annoying to have to sorn something when otherwise you might not bother and just leave the tax on there costing whatever that costs, but if it reduces the great and unwashed uninsured driver issue i am in support. Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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