How do I scrap my car legally in the UK?
If your car van, or motorbike is no longer roadworthy, you can get paid for it as scrap metal.
Where vehicles are severely damaged, unrepairable and no longer safe to drive, they can be crushed and recycled. Other vehicles which are not repairable and can’t be driven on the road again can still be salvaged and reused to repair other vehicles or sold as spare parts.
There are different options but the legal and most hassle-free route for managing an end-of-life vehicle is through an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF). This a government-approved scrapyard or salvage facility that meets strict environmental standards and is recognised by the DVLA.
If your vehicle doesn’t start, is no longer fit to drive or has come to the end of its life with you, you can get a quote and arrange for it to be collected from an accessible location of your choice. If it can be driven, you can drop it off at a local scrapyard.
You then get paid for what your vehicle is worth as scrap metal by weight.
Why do I need to scrap my vehicle?
The main reasons for scrapping a vehicle include:
- The car or van is uneconomical or needs more work than the vehicle is worth
- It has reached the end of its life with you
- You don’t want the hassle of trying to sell it privately
- It is a damaged and broken car, motorbike or vans that cannot be repaired
- It has failed its MOT and the repairs costs more than the vehicle’s value
- It has been declared an insurance write off (Cat A, B, C, D, N, S)
How do I make sure that scrapping my car is legal?
To ensure that you are legally compliant when managing an end-of-life vehicle, you must use an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF), such as Recycle a Car.
Plus, you need to be the legal owner of the vehicle or be able to provide proof that you have consent from the owner.
A dedicated depollution centre at an ATF will make sure all hazardous liquids are removed, such as oil, brake fluid, fuel and coolants. Then the vehicle will be broken into different parts to reuse or be separated into different materials such as metal, glass and rubber for recycling.
Up to 95% of a car can now be recycled under UK and EU regulations.
When you use an ATF, you can be assured that all the different parts of your vehicle are processed and recycled responsibly. Plus, you can get support with the paperwork with the DVLA to ensure your car is registered as scrapped and get paid directly into your bank account.
Can I scrap a car that’s not in my name?
It is illegal to scrap a vehicle that is not in your name or without the owner’s consent, unless:
- You have written permission from the legal owner.
- You can provide proof of ownership (like a will, insurance documents or an invoice).
It is not possible to scrap or salvage vehicles that still have outstanding finance agreements in place. If this is the case, you will need to contact your finance provider directly before making any arrangements.
Simple steps to scrapping your car legally with Recycle a Car:
- Contact us for a scrap car quote via the website or call our expert team on 0345 206 4000
- Choose collection by our team of drivers or decide to drop the car off yourself at our ATF
- Provide your V5C logbook to our driver on collection or bring it with you when dropping off
- SORN your vehicle with the DVLA to tell them that the vehicle is no longer on the road and to ensure any outstanding tax is returned to you
- We can help you with paperwork to notify the DVLA that you’ve scrapped your vehicle. Failing to notify the DVLA could result in fines.
- We’ll check the completeness of your vehicle and confirm the price to be paid
- Provide photo ID of the person who is being paid for the vehicle
- We’ll pay you straight into your bank account
- You put the money towards whatever you want.
If you have questions about how to scrap your car legally, visit our FAQs or call our friendly team on 0345 206 4000.
Ready to scrap your car? Get a quote today!