UK - long term trip - registration etc ?
 

Hey ho,

I'm planning a trip in my UK based and registered landy and it may well last a year or 4.

I'm not really that fussed about paying road tax each year in the UK (which means having to pay insurance and get a MOT test in the uk each year which will be kinda impossible etc)

So, is there any way that you can register a vehicle as being off the road for a few years and then register it back on the road without having to pay all of the road tax for the years inbetween?

Any ideas or info welcome - I realise that before I come back to Western Europe I will have to try and sort something out etc

Cheers, Darrin

We've spoken with the DVLA on this and they say that you must tax & MOT your vehicle if you temporarily export it for less than twelve months. They don't really know what you're supposed to do if you're away for longer.
You can't register the vehicle as being off the road (SORN) because techinically it isn't and the DVLA would regard that as fraudulent.
We have the same problem with our two bikes and have decided to let the tax & MOT lapse and worry about it when we get back home. Officially, when you get back to England you have to drive directly from your port of entry to an MOT station to have the vehicle tested, but after four years on the road I'm not sure you'll be too worried about that!!
If you have any more questions I suggest you speak to the DVLA or your local Vehicle Registration Office - all in the phone book.
Harvey

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no pipe, no slippers
www.chasingthesun.org

Cheers for that.

I have spoken with the DVLA but nobody knew what to make of it. Anybody else have any luck with this sort of thing?

The problem with being away for a long period (eg: 4 years) is that when you get back you then have to pay for all the years when you were away I think?

So this would mean a bill of over £600 when I got back. I'm unlikely to have that much :-)

I think I will be signing (or someone will for me!) the SORN declaration (well the bike isn't on the road is it?!!! or not a UK road anyway!!)

When I return to the UK, I shall just MOT and tax the vehicle as soon as I get back. I shall keep the bike insured all the time even though I'm away as it keeps my 'no claims bonus' going and will also be easier when I return. If the police in the UK catch you without insurance they go mad and you're up the creek.. but strangely enough if you haven't got an MOT they don't seem to go quite as mad and make you go and get one (inside info.).

The catch here is that if you haven't got an MOT, technically your insurance is invalid so.. whilst you are driving/riding from the dock/airport to the MOT station in the UK, don't hit anything! Of course, once you have your MOT and your insurance, you can just go and buy your tax so that the DVLC is happy again.

Darrin
Having picked Lisa's brains about this I remember now that the DVLA were quite adamant that you shouldn't declare SORN because the vehicle is not technically off the road even if it's abroad, although quite how they would know I'm not sure.
They advised us to write to them explaining what we were doing with our bikes and, even if they couldn't come up with an answer, it would cover us against having to pay the fine you're talking about.
To be honest, after a few weeks on the road I don't think you'll be too worried about it!
Harvey

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no pipe, no slippers
www.chasingthesun.org

I'm also planning a 4 year trip leaving next year. Yep, my bike will be out of the country for 4 years and I've been wondering about the same thing with the DVLA. I'll proberbly go down the route of sending them a letter before I leave. When I get back if they want to argue the toss I'll have about 4000 photos to proove both I and the bike were out of the country. They'd have a hard time making it stick.

Saying all that (brave words) I don't know if it will affect things when I come to renew the Carnet when overseas!?

Any ideas?

Chris

Ok, this should answer our questions:

Official reply from DVLA on the matter:

"Any vehicle that is in use abroad should be properly registered and licensed
in the home country. If you are abroad on a temporary basis but still using
the vehicle then you should re-license the vehicle. You can make a postal
application directly to the UK so that a tax disc can be despatched abroad.
If however the vehicle is being kept off the road albeit abroad, then you
should declare SORN by notifying DVLA and giving the address as being
“temporarily abroad”.

If the vehicle is taken out of the country for 12 months or more it should
be regarded as being permanently exported. An application should be made
for a Certificate of Export (V561). The appropriate sections of the V5
registration document should be completed and returned to DVLA. If a V5 is
not available an application for a Certificate of Permanent Export can be
made through DVLA Local Offices or the Export Section at DVLA."

Well done! That has saved me some digging!!!Cheers.

Seems the options are one:

1. Any vehicle that is in use abroad should be properly registered and licensed in the home country. If you are abroad on a temporary basis but still using the vehicle then you should re-license the vehicle. You can make a postal application directly to the UK so that a tax disc can be despatched abroad.

>> Seems this is more orientated towards people living in say, Italy, using a UK based Vehicle.


2. If however the vehicle is being kept off the road albeit abroad, then you should declare SORN by notifying DVLA and giving the address as being “temporarily abroad”.

>> Well, Mongolia doesn't have any roads, so technically I could get away with this. It would appear that they would have a hard time proving it either way? Is everything honkey dory when you come back etc?

3. If the vehicle is taken out of the country for 12 months or more it should be regarded as being permanently exported. An application should be made for a Certificate of Export (V561). The appropriate sections of the V5 registration document should be completed and returned to DVLA. If a V5 is
not available an application for a certificate of Permanent Export can be made through DVLA Local Offices or the Export Section at DVLA."

>> This worries me greatly. Mine will be out for over 12 months. Luckily they have said "should" and not "must" or "required". The question is if you get this V5 as saying you are exporting, surely you have to say where you are exporting too? I'd have to list well over 30 countries ;-)
The biggest concern is what happens when you try to bring the vehicle back into the country having never actually imported it anywhere else. Would you have to pay VAT or import duty on it in then in order to get in reregistered etc

Looks like we are getting somewhere at least! Anybody else have any concerns about teh options so that we can go back to them for more clarification? (I'm willing to do this if need be etc)

Cheers, Darrin

Hi Darrin,

I don't think you should worry about the 12 month/permanent export bit too much. Wouldn't really work with a carnet at a guess, seeing as it's a temporary import document (with your registration details on it).

Personally, my bike will be UK taxed until I leave Europe. After I leave Europe (tax runs out after June), I shall sign the SORN (or someone will on my behalf) saying that the bike is 'temporarily abroad' as suggested by the DVLA.

I don't know if I am going for more than 12 months but, I would come to the same decision if I were going for 6 months.

Cheers

ps.. Just seen your website. I see you're not leaving until end of this year. I am off end of this week so will let you know how I get on with the DVLA if you like!!

[This message has been edited by Spud (edited 29 April 2002).]

Yes please! Have fun or whatever else you want...!!

oh, lots of fun please!

Hi

You can't get road fund licence for any vehicle without an MOT, and you can't get one of those if you are abroad - Catch22!!

However, on my trip I ensured my MOT was valid until I got out of Europe. After that its irrelevant until you get back - if a reminder gets sent while you are abroad either tell them its off the road or abroad - if you say its off the road, you sign a declaration then no back tax is due. Perhaps you were doing a re-build?!?!?

Hope this helps.

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ChrisC

[This message has been edited by ChrisC (edited 01 May 2002).]