During June 2011, drivers will need to declare their car as being off the road if they want to avoid buying insurance.
 
In an effort to reduce the number of people getting behind the wheel when not covered, the new Continuous Insurance Enforcement law has made it an offence to own a motor that is not subject to an insurance policy or does not have a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).

The Department for Transport says that 23,000 people are injured and 160 killed each year by incidents involving uninsured drivers. The hope is that the new rules will encourage more motorists to take out car insurance, as uninsured drivers are often blamed by insurers for pushing up the cost of motor policies.

"Uninsured driving is a serious problem in this country," said Malcolm Tarling of the Association of British Insurers, stating that about 4% of drivers are not covered.

"Not only are they more likely to cause an accident, but they also push up cost of insurance, which all honest, law-abiding drivers have to pay," he told the BBC.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will work with the Motor Insurers' Bureau to identify non-compliant drivers. The registered keepers of vehicles that are either not insured or do not have a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) will be sent a warning letter. This is then followed by a £100 fine and their car could potentially be seized, destroyed, or the owner could be taken to court and fined up to £1,000 unless the vehicle is certified as being off the road.
Offenders who are caught under the new law will not only get a criminal record, but also have to pay more for their insurance in the future.

Any driver who is concerned about their insurance status can check online to see if they appear on Motor Insurers' Bureau which is used to identify offenders. (http://www.askmid.com/)

Those motorists who wish to avoid paying for insurance for a car that is not used must register 'off road notification' with the DVLA, in the same way they do to avoid paying road tax. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/UntaxedVehicle/DG_4022058