Scrapping your vehicle and insurance write-offs
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1. How to scrap your vehicle
When your vehicle has reached the end of its usefulness, you must get it scrapped at an authorised treatment facility (ATF). These are sometimes known as a scrapyard or breaker鈥檚 yard.
There鈥檚 a different process if your vehicle is an insurance write-off.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
Scrap your vehicle without keeping any parts
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Apply to take the registration number off the vehicle if you want to keep it.
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Scrap your vehicle at an ATF. This is usually free.
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Give the ATF the vehicle log book (V5C), but keep the yellow 鈥榮ell, transfer or part-exchange your vehicle to the motor trade鈥� section from it.
You can be fined 拢1,000 if you do not tell DVLA.
Scrap your vehicle and keep parts from it
You can take parts from your vehicle before you scrap it so you can use them to repair another vehicle that you own.
You must remove parts in a way that does not pollute the environment, for example making sure that oil and other fluids do not soak into the ground or enter drains.
If you buy a vehicle for the sole purpose of removing parts to sell or to restore another vehicle, you must have the parts removed at an ATF.
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Tell DVLA the vehicle is off the road while you鈥檙e taking parts from it. You must keep the vehicle off the road, for example in a garage, on a drive or on private land.
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Apply to take the registration number off the vehicle if you want to keep it.
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Scrap your vehicle at an ATF when you鈥檝e finished taking parts from it. The ATF can charge a fee if you鈥檝e removed essential parts, such as the engine, gearbox, bodywork or wheels.
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Give the vehicle log book (V5C) to the ATF, but keep the yellow 鈥榮ell, transfer or part-exchange鈥� section from it.
Scrap a vehicle that鈥檚 registered abroad
If you have a vehicle registered outside the UK that鈥檚 classed as 鈥榮eriously damaged鈥� you will not be able to register or tax it in the UK. Serious damage means the vehicle cannot be repaired - it might say something like 鈥榮tatutory write-off鈥�, 鈥榮crapped鈥� or 鈥榥on-repairable鈥� on the registration certificate.
If the vehicle is damaged, check if it is 鈥榮eriously damaged鈥� with the registration authority for the country the vehicle is from.
If it is not 鈥榮eriously damaged鈥�, ask them to provide evidence of this.
To scrap it once it鈥檚 in the UK, you must use an ATF.
You鈥檒l get a 鈥楥ertificate of Destruction鈥� to prove that the vehicle has been destroyed.
It鈥檚 your responsibility to tell the driving authority in the country where the vehicle is registered that it has been scrapped.
2. Where you can scrap your vehicle
Find an authorised treatment facility (ATF) where your vehicle can be scrapped.
When the ATF has your vehicle, they can decide to:
- completely scrap it
- repair and sell it themselves
It鈥檚 illegal to scrap your vehicle anywhere else.
If your vehicle is completely scrapped
The ATF will give you a 鈥榗ertificate of destruction鈥� within 7 days if you鈥檝e scrapped a:
- car
- light van
- 3-wheeled motor vehicle (but not a motor tricycle)
You will not get a certificate for other types of vehicle.
The certificate is proof that you鈥檝e handed over the vehicle for scrap. If you do not have it, you could still be liable for:
- traffic offence penalties
- vehicle tax
Being paid for your scrapped vehicle
The ATF will pay you the scrap value of your vehicle.
It鈥檚 illegal to be paid in cash if your vehicle is scrapped in England or Wales. You have to be paid by bank transfer or cheque.
If the ATF repairs and sells your vehicle
You will not get a certificate of destruction if the ATF decides to repair and sell your vehicle.
You can be paid for your vehicle by any method, including cash.
3. Insurance write-offs
When you make an insurance claim because your vehicle is damaged, your insurance company will tell you:
- if your vehicle is being 鈥榳ritten off鈥�
- how much they鈥檒l pay you
When your vehicle is written off, your insurance company pays you the current value of the vehicle, instead of the cost of repairing it.
Your insurance company will decide if the vehicle should be written off or not.
Write-off categories
What you do next depends on which category your vehicle is in.
| Category | Repairing the vehicle | Using the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| A | Cannot be repaired | Entire vehicle has to be crushed |
| B | Cannot be repaired | Body shell has to be crushed, but you can salvage other parts from it |
| N | Can be repaired following non-structural damage | You can use the vehicle again if it鈥檚 repaired to a roadworthy condition |
| S | Can be repaired following structural damage | You can use the vehicle again if it鈥檚 repaired to a roadworthy condition |
What you need to do
Your insurance company will usually deal with getting the vehicle scrapped for you. You need to follow these steps.
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Apply to take the registration number off the vehicle if you want to keep it.
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Send the vehicle log book (V5C) to your insurance company, but keep the yellow 鈥榮ell, transfer or part-exchange your vehicle to the motor trade鈥� section from it.
You can be fined 拢1,000 if you do not tell DVLA.
Keeping the vehicle
If you want to keep a vehicle in category N or S, the insurance company will give you an insurance payout and sell the vehicle back to you.
To keep a category S vehicle, you also need to:
- send the complete log book to your insurance company
- apply for a free duplicate log book using form V62
DVLA will record the vehicle鈥檚 category in the log book.
You can keep the log book if you want to keep a category N vehicle.