Free Traffic Legal Advice

Hi
I have a horse lorry that I sorn in winter, I then taxed it in May 24 as I was using it to go to a show, but it broke down on leaving the farm! We then bought another one (were looking for a smaller one anyway). As we were waiting for a repair & I didn't get to use it all summer I forgot that I taxed it for 6months in May so it ran out 31/10/24. Then I received a penalty letter from the DVLA at the end of November issuing a fine of £80 (£40 if paid promptly) as the tax had run out but I didn't SORN it again.

They say you can appeal, but my query is that the lorry has not left the farm yard & is for sale so is advertised on websites & I can prove with dated photos that it has not moved from our own farm yard since the tax ran out on 01/11/2024 (or indeed prior to that)

My point is I thought you were only liable if the vehicle was caught being used on a road when un taxed or with a SORN on it, If it is on your own private land why am I liable & is it worth appealing.
My other point is that we also have other vehicles here including a tractor & we get tax reminders for those but I never got one for the lorry - I have rung the DVLA but get no sense out of them - they are sending me an appeal pack but don't know if its worth bothering - also why is their reminder letter service so hap hazard - either they send tax reminders or they don't surely? When disc were displayed it was so much easier,. Having no dics & no reminders sent open it up to people forgetting & then having to pay fines - easy way to make money for the dvla (I don't advocate dodging taxing obviously - what I'm getting at is its easy to make a genuine mistake & forget & go over a few days/weeks without discs being displayed & no reminders & then you end up paying it late) hope this make sense! many thanks any advice or thoughts 

Unfortunately forgetting is not a defence.

Your comments about it not being used on the road are not relevant, you are required to either tax it or SORN it.  If you don't do either of these you will be in breach of the legislation.

BTW is it insured?

That response from the DVLA doesn't sound very helpful.

It is the intention of the DVLA to stop sending out the traditional (postal) V11 documents, to which you are referring to as reminders.

The plan is to have all motoring related documents managed through the personal 'Driver & Vehicles Account'.  Here you will be able to set up all the electronic reminders you need for as many vehicles as you have - including reminders for your MOT tests which are not part of the remit of the DVLA.

I would have thought that the DVLA would have been able to tell you this.

You can find details of how to register here.