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Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

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Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #1  
Old 19 Jul 2005
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Tax Discs
HI,

Leaving in October, but my road tax runs out in January 2006, so of course will be in need when I'm away.

Anyone know what the situation is with while away from the UK? I've been told In could buy a new one before I leave and get a refund on the old one, but that doesn't change the fact I will still be out of the country next October when the new one runs out!

Boz
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  #2  
Old 19 Jul 2005
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Hi Boz,

We had exactly the same problem and the DVLA couldn't give us an answer because they don't know what to do if you're going to be away more than a year.
My suggestion would be to declare SORN on your way out of the country - you just fill in a form and hand in at any post office. Although technically the bike won't be off the road, it won't be on UK roads and you won't be fined by the DVLA when you don't renew your tax disc.

Hope that's useful.

Harvey

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  #3  
Old 19 Jul 2005
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You will also have to renew your SORN each year, so remember to take spare forms and send them off as they become due or else the DVLA send you threatening letters and try to charge you £80 for failing to declare your vehicle SORN. I kmow this because they lost my original SORN and even though I filled out a new one they have still been shirty with me and I've had to send them letters of explanation of what happened.
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  #4  
Old 19 Jul 2005
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Cheers guys, where would I pick you the SORN forms?

Boz
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  #5  
Old 16 Sep 2005
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I just got a reminder through the post to renew my road tax. The form doubles as road tax application and SORN form. I'd imagine your post office will have these same dual purpouse forms.
Matt
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  #6  
Old 6 Oct 2005
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You can just inform DVLA that you are abroad. They write that down somewhere and thats it. With SORN I believe they have to send someone round to check that the car is indeed off the road. They cant do that if your in Africa. So just call them and tell them.

The other way of doing it is just dont do anything. They fine you, then there is no time limit on when you have to get your next disc. So you can then go off round Africa for a couple of years if you want and dont have to worry til back in the UK.
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  #7  
Old 6 Oct 2005
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DVLA don't have a category for temporary export - a vehicle is either permanently exported or scrapped, otherwise you have to declare SORN or renew the tax. Failure to do anything will get you an automatic fine!
The good news is you can declare SORN or renew your tax on line - look at www.vehiclelicence.gov.uk.
By the way, I have decalred SORN several times and nobody has ever checked that the vehicle is off the road.

[This message has been edited by greynomads (edited 06 October 2005).]
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  #8  
Old 13 Oct 2005
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Further to my earlier reply...

I have just called the DVLA
After 12 minutes of pressing options, I was put through to a very rude and unhelpful woman (who wouldnt give me her name for security reasons) who said that if you are not permanently exporting your car to Africa you still have to pay for a UK tax disk. She said failure to do this would result in a fine of up to £1000.

My car was out of the UK for three years. I was fined £35 for not having a tax disk and was told that there was no time limit, after you have paid the fine, for re-taxing the car.

So I paid only £35 for three years of no UK road tax. And had no problems when I came back to the UK. Just went into a post office on day one and bought a new disk.

Just make sure there is someone at home to pay the fine when it arrives.

Or fill out the sorn form online...I dunno
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  #9  
Old 13 Oct 2005
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Yea,

There's so much conflicting suff about this, I've just posted my tax disc off and recieved £15 refund for the remaining time left on it.

Filled in the sorn part of the form and will be taking a few copies with me if I'm not back by the time it needs renewing.

Seems the most sensible and cost effective way!

Cheers

Nik



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