Vehicle outside the UK conundrum

vladman

Hi,

I'm a UK national and own a UK registered motorcycle which is currently stored (and not being used) in a garage in Prague, Czech Republic. I rode the motorcycle there this summer, but decided not to ride but fly back to the UK which is where I am now. The 90 days that my insurance covered me for have now passed several days ago, and I was informed it was not possible to extend this. Coincidentally, the MOT for this vehicle expired on the exact same date the 90 days were up.

I may be relocating to the Czech Republic in the near future, in which case I'd want to register the vehicle there, but this is very much Covid-19 situation dependent (for example, the Czech borders are now closed for all but essential travel, due to the worsening situation with the virus) and also my personal circumstances dependent, therefore, I can not be sure exactly when or even if I will be relocating.

I don't know what the best course of action for me is now.

I cancelled my insurance after the 90 days I was covered in the EU for expired. Therefore, the vehicle currently has no MOT or insurance, but is still taxed. Again, the vehicle isn't being used on a road anywhere.

I know I can let DVLA know I've permanently exported the vehicle, but I'm reluctant to do this in case my plan to relocate to the Czech Republic doesn't come to pass, or doesn't happen in the near future. I know I can't/shouldn't SORN the vehicle, as SORN only applies to vehicles physically located within the UK.

The confusing thing is that DVLA has two categories when it comes to taking a vehicle abroad, temporary (under 12 months) and permanent (over 12 months). My vehicle has only been out of the country for a little over 3 months, but as there's no way to extend the 90 days insurance cover, I'm not sure how it's practically possible to (legally) own/drive a UK-registered vehicle abroad, after the initial 3 months, when it seems the only choice is a permanent export, effectively reducing the "temporary" category from 12 to 3 months. 

I'm literally stumped by this and don't know what I'm supposed to do.

Many thanks.

AdrianC

You HAVE to do something about the licencing... If it isn't taxed, it MUST be SORNed, else the keeper will get a penalty. And if it isn't insured (on a UK MID-registered policy), then it cannot be taxed without getting a continuous insurance penalty. So no insurance - must be SORNed. The only way that requirement will stop is if you tell DVLA "This is no longer a UK-registered vehicle", by notifying permanent export. Which then requires you to permanently import and register the vehicle wherever in the world.

It's entirely likely that, if you become a resident of Czechia, it will be illegal for you to ride a UK-registered bike there anyway - even as a "temporary import", which it won't be anyway, having been in the country that long. That's certainly the case in the UK.

I think you're getting confused with temporary and permanent imports. A temporary import is when a visitor to the country comes by vehicle, and leaves soon after. There is a time limit on that, as you say. Permanent import is when the vehicle is then registered here.

These requirements tend to standardised across the continent - and more widely - not just because of the EU, but mainly because of the various UN treaties on Road Traffic, which provide a level playing field for people travelling internationally.

What to do in the short term?

SORN it. If you want it physically back here, put it in the back of a van and drive it.

Car_54

vladman said:

 I know I can't/shouldn't SORN the vehicle, as SORN only applies to vehicles physically located within the UK.

How do you know that?
I may be wrong, but I don't know of any such stipulation.

AdrianC

Car_54 said:

vladman said:

 I know I can't/shouldn't SORN the vehicle, as SORN only applies to vehicles physically located within the UK.

How do you know that?
I may be wrong, but I don't know of any such stipulation.

I think it's probably confusion over not being able to SORN because your car isn't on UK roads... but is being used abroad.

Flight3287462

Just SORN it in the meantime until your plans are clearer and that will give you time to decide what you are doing with it.  It shouldn't be a big deal registering it in Czechia or finding a buyer for it if needs must.

molerat

You must either SORN it or export it.  At the moment you are committing a continuous insurance offence and may get a penalty in the post.  If you SORN it you won't be able to put it back on the road in the UK until you get it back here and MOTd.  Don't know what the Czech requirements are for an imported vehicle but as it is a bike and hidden away I doubt you are going to get picked up on that one.

vladman

Hi, and thanks for all the replies, I didn't get a notification that anyone had replied...

From DVLA's page on SORN: https://www.gov.uk/sorn-statutory-off-road-notification

"Your vehicle must stay in the UK for your SORN to be valid."

So it seems I have no other choice but to notify DVLA of permanent export...

AdrianC

gov.uk pages often word things inaccurately (at best).

What they're trying to say there is "You can't SORN if you're going to be driving around other countries". And, obvs, you have to register locally if a vehicle's in another country for an extended period...

They don't know where a SORNed vehicle is. They don't actually care, so long as it's not on roads anywhere.

molerat

How will they know where the vehicle is ?

Car_54

As always, gov.uk isn't quite right. The regulations actually say the vehicle must be in GB, not the UK!

However, the declaration you have to sign (V890) doesn't mention that, so I can't see how you'd be committing an offence. But beware - I'm no lawyer!

Grumpy_chap

SORN now seems quite easy to do, though as has been mentioned, may not be exactly in the rules.

The real challenge will come to getting the bike taxed again which will require a valid MOT.  There is a permitted use to take a vehicle to a pre-booked MOT untaxed, so that the MOT can be done and then apply for VED.  I doubt that would extend to driving the vehicle back from Czech Republic.