Moving a SORNd car

[Rhett Turner - Black Country AO]

My Son currently has his MX5 stored in my double garage next to my Westi. The car is SORN and has no insurance, he wants to do some work on it plus needs to sell his other car first. As I am working on the Westi at the moment I want to be able to move his MX5 on to the drive, which at the moment is not an issue. He wants to do some work on the suspension and therefore wants to put it on axle stands. While I'm working on the Westi I don't want the MX5 to be immovable. My parents live next door and we can re-arrange cars to that he can use their garage.

 

What are my/his options for legally moving a SORNed and un-insured car. Can it be moved using trade plates or is the only legal way to use a trailer.

I don't think the trailer option is actually viable, getting it on to a trailer on my drive would not be an issue but getting the trailer onto my parents drive in a way that would allow us to get the MX5 off could prove a challenge, we are on a main road and the drive is probably just long enough for car with trailer so we would need to back the trailer through the gates which aren't that wide, we would then need to leave enough room to get the MX5 off, which would mean that the tow car would be blocking the road. (Guess it could be something to do on Xmas day as it should be very quiet and light)

 

[TAFKARM]

You want to move it next door?

 

I know what i'd do. 

[Quinten]

Provided you're not using or parking the car on the public road, there would be no problem transporting it using a trailer. It's only when you start to drive it, a camera may pick it up and flag it on the system as untaxed.

[Quinten]

Hang on, the car is actually needed to be in the garage next door?!? Push it there! No-one is going to care

[CraigHew]

I'd push it too, not drive it

[SootySport]

Yep, push it round next door.

[Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO]

If your worried, take the battery off and take a time and dated photo of the empty battery tray, and get pushing then if any jobsworth wants to try and do you, you have evidence that it cannot be driven.

[Rhett Turner - Black Country AO]

Thank you for the responses, I had not appreciated you could push it, I thought that SORN meant it could not be on the road at all. Is moving using Trade Plates an option as my son has friends/colleagues with Trade Plates, (he works for another kit car company.)

[Terryathome]

5,000 rpm drop the clutch you'll be in next door before you know it lol

 

Terry

[stephenh]

Thank you for the responses, I had not appreciated you could push it, I thought that SORN meant it could not be on the road at all. Is moving using Trade Plates an option as my son has friends/colleagues with Trade Plates, (he works for another kit car company.)

I think that technically that is right, Rhett. To be on the safe side, and as trade plates are available, I'd use the trade plates. You should be ok then.

[scubajess]

Trade plates are just a transferable VEL and do not cover insurance or MOT also there are loads of do's and don'ts as to their use and who can use them. Top and bottom of it is that even if you push it onto the road it's still a motor vehicle (constructed or adapted etc) which needs to be taxed, tested and insured even if you take the battery off. Personally if you're only moving it next door I wouldn't lose sleep over it and just do it and as Terry says

'5,000 rpm drop the clutch you'll be in next door before you know it lol'.

[Terryathome]

Now you'll have everybody watching out for you moving the car. Free advertising, you can't beat it.

[Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO]

Can we come and watch?

[Terryathome]

Pictures please

[DanDud]

set up a pay-per-view, you might have enough for a coffee at Starbucks