How to Scrap Your Car

Unless they are lucky enough to enter a pampered old age, most cars reach a point, when they are beyond economic repair. This stage can be delayed significantly, if correct maintenance has been carried out. For more information, see our advice on the importance of servicing and also how to maintain a car from home.

Even so, accidents happen. Should an incident cause significant damage that renders the car unfit (or uneconomical) to return to the road, your insurance company tends to deal with the 'write off' situation for you. Should you have to scrap the car, be aware of the correct procedures to avoid being fined.

Should you wish to retain a personalised number plate, you will need to contact the DVLA to have it either transferred to another vehicle, or put on retention, before you proceed with the scrapping process. For more details, follow these steps from the UK government website.

How do I scrap a car?

1. The most convenient way to scrap your car is to drive it to its maker's main dealership (presuming your brand of car still exists), which will dispose of it correctly and legally. This is even if you do not intend to buy a car. While you will not be charged, it is unlikely that you will be paid, either.

2. You can seek out a scrap yard or, more accurately, an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF). ATFs comply with the legislation, by depolluting your car and preparing it for recycling. If you drive your car to its final resting place, it must not only be roadworthy but also taxed and insured.

You can find your nearest ATF through the official government link: https://www.gov.uk/find-vehicle-scrapyard

What documents do I need to my scrap car?

You must be organised with your paperwork. Without it, you could remain responsible legally for the vehicle. When handing over a car for scrapping, you will need:

1. Photo identification, which the ATF is required to view, authenticate and store for three years. A valid driving licence, or passport will suffice.

2. It is preferable to have the V5 registration document, which you must ensure is filled out, declaring the vehicle as having been scrapped.

3. Once issued, retain the Certificate of Destruction, should you need to prove that the car was not permitted to be used on UK roads again.

Do I need the full logbook to scrap my car?

No - but you must satisfy the ATF that you are the owner, if you do not have the V5. Evidence of ownership includes insurance documents or a sales receipt. This does not discharge you from the requirement of informing the DVLA of the car's scrapping. If there is no V5, you can do this online.

How much will I receive for my scrap car?

You are more likely to receive a small payment, if you drive the car to its final destination. The amount will depend on the type of car, its age, condition, scrap metal prices and whether, or not, it requires collecting. ATFs are not permitted to pay cash for scrap cars.

Any remaining full months' tax will be refunded after you declare SORN, which you can do online through the UK government portal.

How long does it take to scrap a car?

This depends hugely on the ATF. The car has to be depolluted, first, before being dismantled, any useable spare parts retained, and its materials sorted. In modern ATFs, this process is highly mechanised. These procedures can take several hours to several days.

Updating the paperwork, however, can take longer - possibly, over a week.

How to avoid breaking the law, when scrapping your car

If your car is on the public road, regardless of whether it is being driven, or not, it must be taxed, insured and possess a valid MOT Test, should one be required.

Should you store your car off the highway on private land, avoid declaring SORN before cancelling the insurance. This may land you falling foul of the Continuous Insurance Enforcement, for which you could receive a fixed penalty notice. For more information, see the Motor Insurance Database advice.

You will also be breaking the law if you entrust your car with any organisation that is not an official ATF. You also remain liable for your car, after you have handed over the keys and log book (V5C) until you have been authorised formally. You should keep the yellow section, entitled ‘sell, transfer or part-exchange your vehicle to the motor trade’.

If your car is to be scrapped, the ATF must give you a Certificate of Destruction, once the car is destroyed. Yet, should the ATF decide to repair your car and sell it, you will not receive a CoD but a letter from the DVLA, confirming that you are no longer responsible for the vehicle.

However, you must inform the DVLA that you have scrapped the car, a task that can be performed online through this link

How to check if my car has been scrapped

You can use several online free services, including:

The DVLA's MOT history service

The Vehicle Enquiry Service

If the car cannot be found, it has likely been scrapped. Similarly, if its MOT and tax due dates have expired, with no valid SORN, it is likely the car is no more. Should you find the car taxed, it still exists, unless the registration plate has been transferred to another vehicle.

You can also make your request in writing to: DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BD. Paid-for services will also confirm if a car still exists, such as HPI.

FAQs

Do I have to scrap my car?

If you do not wish to scrap your car, you can still sell it for spare parts. However, make it clear that you are selling the car for spares. Should it be in an unroadworthy condition, do not permit it to be driven away.

Should an unroadworthy car be towed away?

Any car without tax, insurance and/or MOT should be transported with its wheel off the ground.

Can an ATF sell my scrap car? <h3> Providing that you agree to it, an ATF can repair and sell your car, instead of scrapping it.

Can I remove parts from a car before scrapping it?

You can dismantle your old car at home but you must do so in an environmentally-friendly way. Consider also that removing certain valuable parts (such as the catalytic converter) may devalue the car's scrap value.

Should you buy a car solely for spare parts, the UK government advises that those components must be removed at an ATF.

What happens to a registration number, when a car is scrapped?

Unless you arrange to have the registration plate transferred before the car is scrapped, the number cannot be used on another vehicle.

Do I get a tax refund if I scrap my car?

Any remaining full months of road-fund licence are refunded to the original keeper.

What paperwork do you get when you scrap a car?

Give the vehicle registration document to the ATF but keep the yellow section. You will receive a Certificate of Destruction later, when the bodyshell has been crushed.

Can my car be scrapped without my permission?

No, the owner's permission is required by UK law.

Can I scrap my car without keys?

Yes, a car can be scrapped without keys but you need to prove ownership. While the registered keeper on the V5 registration document does not always mean the owner, any receipts, plus photographic identification with an address that matches that on the V5, is likely to be sufficient.

Do I need to tell the DVLA if I scrap my car?

It is a legal requirement to inform the DVLA if your car has been sold, or scrapped.

What about Scrappage schemes and government incentives?

Scrappage schemes tend to involve the retailer organising scrapping on the customers' behalf. Therefore, the documents are handled in a similar way and you should expect to receive a Certificate of Destruction around a week after the car has been scrapped.

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