V890 Form PDF Download | Free DVLA SORN Form

The V890 form is the official DVLA postal document for making a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). If your vehicle is off the road and not being used on a public road, you are legally required to either hold a valid SORN or keep it taxed. Download the V890 PDF from this page, complete it in black ink, and post it to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR. Or apply online instantly at gov.uk/sorn.

What is the V890 Form?

The V890 form is the DVLA’s paper application for a Statutory Off Road Notification. It is a single-page document (reference V890-1025) that formally tells DVLA your vehicle will not be used or parked on a public highway. Once DVLA processes it, your vehicle tax is cancelled, and a refund cheque is issued for any remaining complete calendar months.

Most people do not need the paper form. If the vehicle is in your name, the online service at gov.uk/sorn is faster and takes effect immediately. The V890 postal route is the correct option when the vehicle is not in your name, when you have no internet access, or in certain estate and legal situations.

What is a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)?

A Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) is a legal declaration under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 that your vehicle is not being used or kept on a public road. Every registered vehicle in the UK must be either taxed or SORNed at all times. There is no gap period between the two.

Once SORN is active, the vehicle must be kept on private land: a driveway, garage, or private storage facility. Since 2023, the SORN has automatically renewed each year and remains in place until you tax the vehicle, sell it, scrap it, or export it.

Who Needs to Submit a V890 DVLA SORN Form?

The online or phone routes cover most people. You need the paper V890 form specifically if any of the following apply:

When to Use the V890?

Special Cases and Edge Circumstances

Inherited or deceased owner vehicle

The estate representative must send the completed V890 along with the relevant section of the V5C log book by post to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR. Online and phone SORN are not available for deceased keeper situations.

Vehicle bought at auction with no V5C

Send a completed V62 (application for a vehicle registration certificate) together with the V890 to DVLA. The V62 fee is £25. SORN takes effect from the date DVLA processes both forms.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland vehicles follow the same V890 process and use the same postal address: DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR. Vehicle tax in Northern Ireland can additionally be paid at Post Office branches — not available in Great Britain.

Motor traders

Motor traders who hold vehicles temporarily in the normal course of their business do not need to make a SORN unless the vehicle is registered in their name. This exemption is confirmed in the V890 guidance notes (Section 4).

Vehicle being permanently exported

SORN cannot be made for a vehicle leaving the UK permanently. Notify DVLA of the export separately at gov.uk/export-vehicle.

SORN vs Vehicle Tax – What’s the Difference?

Letting vehicle tax expire is not the same as declaring SORN. The table below shows the key differences.

What SORN Does Not Cover?

Do You Still Need Insurance on a SORNed Vehicle?

This is the question that catches most people out, and it is not answered clearly by any of the major pages currently ranking for V890 queries.

Under the Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) rules introduced in 2011, you are legally required to insure a registered vehicle unless it holds a valid SORN. So SORN does remove the legal obligation to hold motor insurance, but only while the vehicle is genuinely kept on private land and not used on any public road.

In practice, many insurers and storage facility operators still recommend keeping at least a fire and theft policy while a vehicle is SORNed, particularly if it is stored in a shared garage or on land where third-party liability could arise. Check with your insurer before cancelling cover.

What You Need Before You Fill In the V890 Form?

If you do not have a V5C, complete a V62 application for a replacement log book and include it with the V890. A replacement costs £25.

Form Structure

How to Fill In the V890 SORN Form?

Submission Methods, Fees and Processing Times

Phone lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For postal applications, SORN takes effect from the date DVLA processes the form, not the date you posted it. If speed matters, use the online or phone route.

Automatic Tax Refund and How It Works?

When DVLA processes your V890, they automatically cancel your vehicle tax and issue a refund cheque for any remaining complete calendar months. Partial months are not refunded. The refund is calculated from the date DVLA receives and processes the form, not the date you posted it.

The cheque goes to the registered keeper’s address on the V5C. If your address on the V5C is out of date, update it before submitting the V890. Any active Direct Debit for vehicle tax is cancelled automatically.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Penalties for Not Declaring SORN

Penalty schedule

Received an £80 SORN fine? Here’s what to do:

Vehicle Types Covered by SORN

Where to Send Your V890 Form

Post the completed V890 application to:

Use first or second class post. Keep a photocopy of the completed form. Recorded delivery gives you proof of postage, though DVLA does not require it.

Frequently Asked Questions