With the all-seeing eye of the computer-based system, it is not clear to me that there is any way for "it" to know that a vehicle is not in the country. This has been discussed elsewhere in the HUBB in relation to the masses of UK registered vehicles that are driving around, say, France, with out of date tax discs and no current MOT certificate.
Of course, a vehicle can be declared SORN by online means and I don't suppose that the DVLA check on where such a SORN logon is located, yet.

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Dave

I don't know if they follow up on 'no-shows' - not the garage, but the watchers at DVLA.
Sounds like a reasonable wheeze - but you never know these days. I would give it a go - but I am not averse to both risk and arguing with officialdom!
Maybe to keep in the good books of the garage, cancel the appointment once home but before the appointed time. You can't be the first to fail to keep an apppointment for whatever reason.

I don't think a fax is necessary - you can refer anyone to the test centre's appointment records. But I am of the strong opinion that MOT appointments are logged into the Vehicle Inspectorate's computor, to which Police, DVLA, Uncle Tom Cobbley and all have access.

Sure, I don't see it a problem being out of UK.
It is the vehicle that must be in UK.
But if you are concerned, or it won't accept it, you can always defeat IP location identifiers and tracing by using "ExPat Shield" or others. I use this to watch for various things. They say ( ) you can use this to see live BBC TV on-line in Russia, which is otherwise "unavailable in your area" (due to regional or rights restrictions). Every time you log on, it assignes a UK (or non territorial) IP address to your PC, so your true IP/location will not be revealed, so no restriction!

The point is that in SORN you are declaring the vehicle is still in UK, but not on a road maintained at public expense.
Apart from the consequences of making a false declaration and all that follows, you could hardly maintain it was SORN (therefore had been in UK) if you are seen by ANPR readers in the arrivals area of Dover docks or the Tunnel terminal - where they certainly exist and are used, at least to assist security and booking information. I would not put it past 'them' to be linked in.

But as above and earlier in the thread, I would be prepared to argue the points in any Court if needbe, if caught in DVLA's Catch 22 gap in the rules they enforce and they try to seek settlement penalties for their own coffers.

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Govt are making a little change to SORN, a little less form filling for those choosing the SORN option whilst out of the country for more than one year

Basically you only have to register the vehicle SORN off the road once, not every year, and only 'un'-Sorn' it and tax it when it goes back on the road if that makes any sense at all

Government slashes motoring red*tape - News - Department for Transport


Government slashes motoring red tape
Publisher: Department for Transport
Published date: 15 December 2011
Type: Press release
Mode/topic: Roads, Legislation
Drivers are to be released from reams of red tape currently required by government, Transport Secretary Justine Greening announced today.

As a result of the Road Transport Red Tape Challenge – the government wide process to get rid of unnecessary, burdensome and overcomplicated regulation - the Department for Transport is:

Scrapping the regulation requiring motorists to hold a paper counterpart to their driving licence by 2015 – saving drivers up to £8m.

Improving the regulation surrounding the notification process for vehicles that are not in use on the road (Statutory Off Road Notification or SORN). Once drivers have notified the DVLA that their vehicle is SORN, they will no longer have the burden of annual SORN renewal.
Only issuing hard-copies of V5C vehicle registration certificates for fleet operators when needed, with the potential to be rolled out to private motorists.

Introducing a limited exemption from drivers’ hours rules so that those who also drive as Territorial Army reservists in their own time can continue to do so.

Following a vigorous process of challenge, both by the public and within Whitehall, a total of 142 road transport regulations will now be scrapped or improved.

Removing the need for an insurance certificate. The Department for Transport will work with the insurance industry on removing the need for motorists to have to hold an insurance certificate.

Abolishing the requirement for drivers to prove they have insurance when applying for tax meaning 600000 more people will be able to tax their car online. This has been made possible by new checks of existing databases for insurance under new Continuous Insurance Enforcement rules. The DVLA’s records are compared regularly with the Motor Insurance Database (MID) to identify registered keepers of vehicles that appear to have no insurance.
We will look at experience in other countries on driver Certificates of Professional Competence (CPC) - the qualification for professional bus, coach and lorry drivers. In particular, to see if we could remove the need for some sectors, such as farmers who drive stock to market, from needing a CPC.

Local Authorities will now have to ensure business interests are properly considered as part of any future proposed Workplace Parking Levy scheme. They must show they have properly and effectively consulted local businesses, have addressed any proper concerns raised and secured support from the local business community.

Abolishing the regulations on the treatment of lost property on buses. Bus companies currently have to wait 48 hours before they can throw away perishable items left on the bus.



Glad to hear the bus depot won't have to hold on to Mrs Muggin's bag of pigs trotters for 48 hours now

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https://fernsforays.wordpress.com/

This subject matter has cropped up, again, in another thread which contains a further excellent summary of the UK regulations by Tony P.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-vehicle-61877

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Dave