UK vehicle statistics / JCB

How many JCB 540 trucks are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 6,880 licensed and 6,490 SORN vehicles in the UK within the JCB 540 generic-model group.

Looking at a 540?

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 540 is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the 540 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 6,924 in 2025 Q3 and stand at 6,880 in 2026 Q1, down 1%. That is up 50% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 6,490 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 13,370 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 13,370 540 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (6,490 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Check the actual 540 — 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 Q16,8806,490
2025 Q46,8266,195
2025 Q36,9245,925
2025 Q26,6765,651
2025 Q16,5825,368
2024 Q46,5285,351
2024 Q36,5835,344
2024 Q26,6785,182
2024 Q16,5914,918
2023 Q46,6614,657
2023 Q36,6624,395
2023 Q26,5324,122
2023 Q16,1633,910
2022 Q46,0123,691
2022 Q35,9003,484
2022 Q25,7293,288
2022 Q15,5873,184
2021 Q45,3963,035
2021 Q35,1702,898
2021 Q24,9372,744
2021 Q14,5872,706
2020 Q44,5012,567
2020 Q34,4532,554
2020 Q24,4372,472
2020 Q14,6782,388
2019 Q44,7462,050
2019 Q34,6461,935
2019 Q24,3661,804
2019 Q14,0821,661
2018 Q44,1631,283
2018 Q34,0891,111
2018 Q23,887949
2018 Q13,421803
2017 Q43,161693
2017 Q32,933590
2017 Q22,405528
2017 Q12,006383
2016 Q41,784277
2016 Q31,619216
2016 Q21,118197
2016 Q1876185
2015 Q4839135
2015 Q3740160
2015 Q2645139
2015 Q1516110
2014 Q441567
2014 Q334063

Other JCB models

  • 535 — 3,283 licensed
  • 531 — 2,003 licensed
  • 3CX — 2,418 licensed
  • 525 — 1,820 licensed
  • Tm320 — 2,380 licensed
  • 542 — 2,415 licensed

See how many of every JCB model are left

Common questions

How many JCB 540 trucks are left in the UK?

6,880 were licensed and 6,490 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many JCB 540 trucks are SORN?

6,490 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 13,370 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the 540 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 6,924 in 2025 Q3 and stand at 6,880 in 2026 Q1, down 1%. That is up 50% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 6,490 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 13,370 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one 540 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.