UK vehicle statistics / JCB

How many JCB 520 cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 612 licensed and 559 SORN vehicles in the UK within the JCB 520 generic-model group.

Looking at a 520?

Population figures cannot tell you whether one particular car is taxed, MOT-valid or safe to buy.

Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. If the car is still worth pursuing, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.

Wondering whether one particular 520 is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the 520 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 630 in 2025 Q3 and stand at 612 in 2026 Q1, down 3%. That is up 44% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 559 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 1,171 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

A falling population is worth knowing before you buy: it usually means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply, and it is why a good example of a scarce model can hold its price while a neglected one is hard to sell at any price.

Before you buy

  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 1,171 520 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (559 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Check the actual 520 — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.

Quarterly licensed and SORN counts

Every quarter DfT has published for this model group, newest first.

QuarterLicensedSORN
2026 Q1612559
2025 Q4613516
2025 Q3630480
2025 Q2621456
2025 Q1591453
2024 Q4593430
2024 Q3605419
2024 Q2615400
2024 Q1587377
2023 Q4567356
2023 Q3542330
2023 Q2515308
2023 Q1509293
2022 Q4492273
2022 Q3486264
2022 Q2472249
2022 Q1464241
2021 Q4450230
2021 Q3451216
2021 Q2441210
2021 Q1425204
2020 Q4403192
2020 Q3398190
2020 Q2380187
2020 Q1402175
2019 Q4406166
2019 Q3400161
2019 Q2381146
2019 Q1386129
2018 Q4384110
2018 Q337291
2018 Q232586
2018 Q127368
2017 Q426462
2017 Q323962
2017 Q221559
2017 Q120050
2016 Q418645
2016 Q317938
2016 Q217928
2016 Q116824
2015 Q416717
2015 Q315119
2015 Q213712
2015 Q11258
2014 Q41041
2014 Q3831

Other JCB models

  • 540 — 6,880 licensed
  • 535 — 3,283 licensed
  • 531 — 2,003 licensed
  • 3CX — 2,418 licensed
  • 525 — 1,820 licensed
  • Tm320 — 2,380 licensed

See how many of every JCB model are left

Common questions

How many JCB 520 cars are left in the UK?

612 were licensed and 559 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many JCB 520 cars are SORN?

559 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 1,171 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the 520 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 630 in 2025 Q3 and stand at 612 in 2026 Q1, down 3%. That is up 44% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 559 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 1,171 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one 520 is a good buy?

No. These are population figures for the model group. Enter that vehicle's registration for its own free MOT, tax and mileage record.

Source and limitations

Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.

Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.