Written By Faryal Raza Bhatti, Marketing Manager, Heritage Car Insurance
Expert commentary by Mark Wilkinson, Managing Director. Heritage Car Insurance
Last updated: August 2026
We analysed DVLA data for every postcode district in South East to reveal where the region keeps its 205,507 classic cars, and how many are on the road versus declared off it.
South East is home to 205,507 classic cars, according to the latest DVLA figures. But they aren’t spread evenly across the region. So where in South East are the most classic cars?
Which South East postcode has the most classic cars?
The postcode district with the most classic cars in South East is SO40 (Totton / New Forest), with 1,818 historic vehicles. It’s followed by SL6 (Maidenhead) (1,695) and PO20 (Chichester) (1,694).
The top 20 classic car hotspots in South East
| Rank | Postcode district (area) | Taxed | SORN | Total |
| 1 | SO40 (Totton / New Forest) | 1,080 | 738 | 1,818 |
| 2 | SL6 (Maidenhead) | 1,027 | 668 | 1,695 |
| 3 | PO20 (Chichester) | 1,025 | 669 | 1,694 |
| 4 | RH20 (Storrington) | 1,099 | 592 | 1,691 |
| 5 | SO41 (Lymington) | 980 | 676 | 1,656 |
| 6 | SO32 (Bishop’s Waltham) | 863 | 777 | 1,640 |
| 7 | PO30 (Newport (IoW)) | 867 | 738 | 1,605 |
| 8 | MK45 (Ampthill) | 935 | 639 | 1,574 |
| 9 | TN22 (Uckfield) | 917 | 637 | 1,554 |
| 10 | RG7 (Reading rural) | 915 | 597 | 1,512 |
| 11 | TN12B (Tunbridge Wells) | 892 | 610 | 1,502 |
| 12 | SO51 | 824 | 606 | 1,430 |
| 13 | RH13 | 800 | 627 | 1,427 |
| 14 | MK18 | 882 | 541 | 1,423 |
| 15 | PO33 | 803 | 620 | 1,423 |
| 16 | RH12 | 850 | 572 | 1,422 |
| 17 | BN27 | 763 | 657 | 1,420 |
| 18 | GU34 | 839 | 548 | 1,387 |
| 19 | OX29 | 727 | 610 | 1,337 |
| 20 | SO31 | 816 | 504 | 1,320 |
Are South East’s classic cars driven or stored?
Across South East, 56.9% of classic cars are taxed and on the road, while 43.1% are declared off the road under a SORN. That’s a lower off-road rate than the UK average, suggesting the region’s classics are driven more than most.
Mark Wilkinson, Managing Director of Heritage Car Insurance said:
”The South East isn’t just the region with the most classic cars, it’s where owners are most likely to actually drive them, with the lowest off-road rate anywhere. Areas like Totton on the edge of the New Forest lead the way, helped by mild weather and superb driving roads. If you’re using a classic that often, it’s worth making sure it’s insured on an agreed value basis, so the figure you’d be paid out reflects what the car is genuinely worth, not a standard book value.”
