How Scrapping Your Car Works
Scrapping a car is a short process, but it has a strict order: quote first, then handover, then paperwork. This page walks through each step in turn, so you know what happens, what you need to have ready, and what to check before the car leaves your hands.
Call 07961 404768WhatsApp 07961 404768Step 1 — Get a quote
Everything starts with a quote. You give the details of your car — its registration, make, model and year — and the breaker works out what it is worth as scrap. The quote is based on the car itself: what it is, what condition it is in, and what can be recovered from it.
Use the quote form on this site to request one. It asks for your registration, make, model, year, your name and your phone number, plus an optional message where you can add anything else about the car.
Step 2 — Arrange handover
Once you have a quote, the next step is agreeing how the car changes hands. How handover is arranged depends on the yard, so ask what the arrangement is when you request your quote — whether the car is brought to the yard or taken from where it stands, and what needs to be ready on the day.
Do not assume anything about handover until it has been agreed. The arrangement, and anything you need to prepare, should be clear before the car moves.
Step 3 — Hand over the car and paperwork
At handover you give the breaker the car and the V5C log book, keeping the yellow section — the part headed for selling, transferring or part-exchanging your vehicle to the motor trade — for yourself. That yellow section is your proof of the handover, so keep it somewhere safe.
If you want to keep the car's registration number, apply to take it off the vehicle before this step. Once the car has been handed over, that option is gone.
Step 4 — DVLA notification and Certificate of Destruction
After handover there are two separate pieces of paperwork. You, as the registered keeper, must tell the DVLA you have taken the vehicle to an authorised treatment facility. The facility, for its part, issues a Certificate of Destruction where one applies — within seven days for a car, light van or three-wheeled motor vehicle that is completely scrapped.
The two are not the same job, and one does not cover the other. The DVLA notification is yours; the Certificate of Destruction is the facility's. Both are explained in full in the guides on this site.
Step 5 — What happens to your car after handover
At the facility the car is depolluted first: fuel, oil, coolant and the battery come out, and hazardous items are removed safely. Parts that are still sound may be taken off, and the shell that remains is crushed so the metal can be recycled.
If the car is repaired and sold on instead of being destroyed, no Certificate of Destruction is issued — that only follows a complete scrapping.
What to have ready on the day
Have the V5C log book ready, and know where the yellow section is. Have the registration number to hand, and decide in advance whether you want to keep it. If the car has no V5C, say so when you request a quote — the process is different, and it is covered on the paperwork page.
A short list of the documents and checks is on the paperwork page, which is the next page worth reading after this one.
Frequently asked questions
What happens first when I scrap my car?
You start by getting a quote. Give the breaker your car's registration, make, model and year, and the quote is worked out from the car itself — what it is and what condition it is in. Once you have the quote, you agree how handover will happen, and only then does the car change hands.
What do I need ready on the day?
Have the V5C log book ready, and know where the yellow section is, because you keep that part yourself. Have the registration number to hand, and decide beforehand whether you want to keep it. If there is no V5C, say so when you request a quote, as the process is different.
When do I tell the DVLA?
Tell the DVLA once the car has been taken to an authorised treatment facility. It is your duty as the registered keeper, and it is separate from anything the facility does. You can notify them through the GOV.UK service — you will need the 11-digit reference from your V5C — or post the yellow V5C section to the DVLA instead.
Do I get a Certificate of Destruction?
It depends on the vehicle. A car, light van or three-wheeled motor vehicle that is destroyed in full earns a certificate from the facility, sent within seven days. Other vehicle types get none, and neither does a vehicle the facility repairs and sells on — a certificate only follows a complete scrapping.
What happens to my car after it is handed over?
The car is depolluted at the facility: fuel, oil, coolant and the battery are removed, and hazardous items are dealt with safely. Parts that are still sound may be taken off, and the shell is crushed so the metal can be recycled. A car that is repaired and sold on instead follows a different path.
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Call 07961 404768WhatsApp 07961 404768Autos Craft Ltd · 295 Cherrywood Rd, Birmingham B9 4UU, United Kingdom · Open 24 hours