Free Car Tax and SORN Check by Registration
Enter a number plate to see whether a vehicle is taxed, untaxed or declared SORN, and when the current tax period ends. Free, instant and no account needed.
What the tax check tells you
The result shows the recorded tax status for the registration you entered, together with the date the current tax runs to where that information is held. Alongside it you get the basic vehicle record — make, model, year, colour, fuel type, engine size and CO₂ figure — so you can confirm the plate belongs to the car you are looking at.
Three statuses cover almost every vehicle. Taxed means the vehicle is currently licensed for road use. Untaxed means no valid tax is in force and no off-road declaration has been made. SORN means the keeper has told DVLA the vehicle is kept off public roads.
Tax does not follow the car
When a vehicle changes hands, the seller’s tax is cancelled and any full remaining months are refunded automatically. The buyer cannot inherit it. That means a car you have just bought is untaxed the moment the keeper changes, and you need to tax it in your own name using the new keeper slip from the V5C before you drive away.
Untaxed vehicles used on a public road risk a penalty, and enforcement is automated through number-plate cameras rather than a paper disc in the windscreen. Because there is nothing to see on the car itself, checking the plate is the only quick way to know.
When SORN matters
A SORN vehicle must be kept off the public road entirely — a driveway, garage or private land, not a kerbside space. The one recognised exception is driving to a pre-booked MOT appointment. If a car you are viewing is on SORN, ask why. A long off-road spell can mean a restoration project, a stalled repair, or simply a second car left standing, and each of those has different implications for condition.
A SORN also needs renewing if the vehicle stays off the road, and it ends automatically when the vehicle is taxed again or sold.
What to do straight after buying
Tax the vehicle online or by phone using the reference number on the new keeper slip before you drive it away, then confirm the tax status shows as current. Make sure the seller has told DVLA the vehicle has changed hands so their refund is issued and liability passes to you, and keep the green slip until your own V5C arrives.
If the car is going straight into a garage or onto a driveway rather than the road, a SORN is the correct declaration — but only once it is genuinely off the public highway.
Pair the tax check with MOT, mileage and history
Tax and MOT are linked: you generally cannot tax a vehicle without a valid MOT in place. Run the free MOT check at the same time, review the recorded mileage history, and if you are buying from a private seller or trader, the full car history check adds finance, stolen and write-off information.
For more detail read how to check if a vehicle is taxed or SORN and whether you can tax a car without an MOT. RegPeek is independent and not affiliated with DVLA or DVSA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does road tax transfer when I buy a car?
No. Vehicle tax ends when the vehicle changes keeper. The seller receives a refund for full remaining months and the buyer must tax the vehicle in their own name before driving it.
What does SORN mean?
SORN is a Statutory Off Road Notification. It tells DVLA the vehicle is kept off public roads, so no tax is due, but the vehicle must not be driven or parked on a public road except to a pre-booked MOT.
Why does a tax status look out of date?
Tax records are supplied by third-party data providers and can lag behind a very recent payment or SORN declaration by a short period. Check the official DVLA service if a status looks wrong.
What happens if I drive an untaxed car?
Enforcement is automatic through number-plate cameras and DVLA records. An out-of-court settlement letter is the usual first step, and continued use can lead to a court fine or the vehicle being clamped or impounded.
How soon can I tax a car I have just bought?
Immediately, using the 12-digit reference on the new keeper slip from the V5C. The vehicle needs a valid MOT if one is required, and it must not be driven on a public road until the tax is in force.
Can an electric car still show a tax status?
Yes. Zero-emission vehicles still have to be taxed even where the amount payable is nil, so the record shows a tax status and an expiry date in the same way as a petrol or diesel car.