How to Scrap a Car in the UK
Scrapping a car takes four steps: get a quote, book collection, hand over the vehicle and the V5C, then tell the DVLA. The whole process usually takes two to three working days, costs nothing, and ends with a Certificate of Destruction proving the car is permanently off the road.
What are the steps to scrap a car?
| Step | What happens | Timing |
| 1. Get a quote |
Enter reg & postcode; price is calculated |
Under a minute |
| 2. Book collection |
Choose a slot; the price is locked once accepted |
Same day |
| 3. Vehicle collected |
Hand over keys and V5C, payment made by bank transfer |
1 - 3 working days |
| 4. Notify the DVLA |
Online or by post using the yellow section of the V5C |
Same day as collection |
| 5. Certificate issued |
ATF issues your Certificate of Destruction |
Within 7 days |
What documents do I need to scrap my car?
You need the V5C logbook and photographic ID matching the registered keeper's address. That is the full requirement. You do not need a valid MOT, the car does not need to be taxed or insured, and it does not need to start or move under its own power.
If the V5C has been lost, apply to the DVLA for a replacement before booking. A vehicle can still be scrapped without one, but the process is slower and some buyers will decline it, so it is worth sorting first.
What is an ATF and why does it matter?
An Authorised Treatment Facility is a site licensed by the Environment Agency to dismantle end-of-life vehicles. Only an ATF can legally destroy a car and issue a Certificate of Destruction. Using anyone else leaves you exposed, because the vehicle remains registered to you until it is properly recorded as destroyed.
Checking is straightforward. Ask for the buyer's ATF licence number and confirm a Certificate of Destruction is included as standard rather than something you have to request afterwards.
What is a Certificate of Destruction?
The Certificate of Destruction, or CoD, is the legal record that your vehicle has been permanently dismantled. The ATF must issue it within seven days of destroying the car, and the DVLA is notified at the same time. It is your proof that responsibility for the vehicle has ended.
Keep it. If a registration is later cloned, misused or wrongly linked to fines, the CoD is the document that settles the matter.
What do I need to tell the DVLA?
You must notify the DVLA that the vehicle has been sold for scrap. Use the yellow section of the V5C, or do it online, which is faster and gives you immediate confirmation. Until you notify them you remain the registered keeper and liable for the vehicle.
Failing to notify can bring a fine of up to £1,000. Any remaining full months of road tax are refunded automatically once the DVLA has been told, so there is nothing separate to claim.
How much will I be paid?
Payment is based on the vehicle's kerb weight and the current scrap metal price, typically £150 to £400 for a car. Condition has very little effect, because the vehicle is bought as recoverable material rather than as a working car. Full figures by vehicle class are on our scrap car prices page.
How will the money reach me?
By bank transfer, at or before collection. Cash payment for scrap vehicles has been illegal in England and Wales since the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, so any buyer offering notes on the doorstep is operating outside the law and will not be issuing a valid CoD.
Do I need to remove anything before collection?
Take out personal belongings, and check the glovebox, boot, door pockets and under the seats. Remove the tax disc holder if there is one, and any aftermarket electronics you want to keep, such as a dash cam or stereo.
Leave the catalytic converter, battery and wheels in place. Removing them reduces the recoverable value and will lower your quote, usually by more than the parts are worth to you.
Can I scrap a car that is not in my name?
Not without authority. The registered keeper named on the V5C has to authorise the sale. If you are dealing with a deceased relative's vehicle, an executor can act with the appropriate paperwork. If the car is on finance, the finance company still has an interest in it and must be settled first.
Can I scrap a car without a V5C?
It is possible but harder. Some ATFs will accept a vehicle without a logbook where ownership can be established another way, though you should expect additional identity checks. Applying to the DVLA for a replacement V5C is usually the simpler route and avoids complications later.
Should my car be scrapped or sold for salvage?
If the vehicle can be repaired economically, or has parts with real resale demand, salvage will pay more. That generally means cars under ten years old without structural damage, plus classics and rare models at any age. Everything else is worth more as metal.
How long does the whole thing take?
Quoting takes under a minute. Collection is usually one to three working days later, sometimes same day. Payment clears on collection day, and the Certificate of Destruction follows within seven days of the vehicle being processed.
Get started
Enter your registration and postcode at the top of this page for an instant weight-based quote. Free UK-wide collection, a guaranteed price, licensed ATF depots and a Certificate of Destruction as standard.