I'm planning to SORN one of my bikes over winter, or for December/January at least. Now that there's no need to post a tax disc back to reclaim the unused part (the bike is only half way through a 12 month disc), I was interested to try out the new arrangements. It seems that if you go to Make a SORN - GOV.UK you can make the SORN statement and in the process request the refund of unused tax for "whole months only". However, they have been a bit sneaky with this, as I confirmed by phoning them. If, today, you make a SORN statement, it appears to apply (and you cannot override the date) from 1st November, which will trigger payment of unused tax from 1st December onwards. It seems fine, but the DVLA were evasive when I said that I did not really like making a SORN retrospectively bearing in mind that my plate might have been read by ANPR some time later in the month. When I told them I wanted to make the SORN from 1st December, they said to do so I would have to wait until the 1st December (Monday next week) .... but then they would only refund tax from 1st January 2015 onwards! The answer is to make the SORN declaration on 30th November apparently, thus allowing you to have use of the bike up until that day, and then to get the refund for the whole of December. Perhaps I am being cynical, but I wonder whether they are rather hoping that lots of people will make the mistake of waiting until the first of the month? The person at DVLA could not seem to grasp the concept that if you make a SORN declaration effective on/from 1st December, then you should be entitled to a refund of the whole of your December 2014 tax.
I've just sorn'd my two bikes. The refund is from 1st dec and the date it States was the date I did it. (Yesterday). Think you may be worrying about nothing.
I'm not worried, but thanks for clarification - presumably the process shows 1st November on the screen, then records the SORN as starting on the date you did it. iWHat is a bit cheeky is that you are definitely not allowed to ride either of your bikes this weekend - even though you have paid the tax for those two days, because you did the SORN yesterday. Anyway, it's important to do it before midnight on 30th November if you want the money back for December! I can't see why they should not allow you to make the statement in advance, asking for the SORN to start at midnight on the last day of the month.
