How to legally scrap your car

Scrapping your car at an ATF (step-by-step)

Step 1. Remove your private number plate (optional)

If your car has a personalised registration and you want to keep it, you'll need to remove it before the vehicle is scrapped. Once the car is destroyed, you won't usually be able to claim the number plate back.

If you don't want to keep your current registration, no action is required — it will be scrapped with the vehicle.

To keep your number plate, you'll need your V5C logbook. Applications are usually done online, or by post using a V317 form (and a V62 form, if you need a replacement logbook). There is an £80 fee for this service.

Visit the GOV.UK website to apply to take a private number plate off your vehicle.

Once approved, the number plate is either assigned to another vehicle or kept on a V778 retention document, which proves you still have the right to use it in future.

For a detailed walkthrough of the process visit our guide ‘How to transfer a number plate’.

Step 2. Gather your documents

Before taking your car to be scrapped, make sure you have the correct documents to scrap your car.

You should bring the following to the scrapyard:

• Your V5C logbook, if you have it.

Scrapyards also frequently request:

• A valid form of photo ID (such as a driving licence or passport).
• Proof of address (for example, a utility bill or bank statement).

This is typically to comply with scrap metal regulations and help prevent fraud, although the exact requirements can vary depending on the operator.

Step 3. Clear out your car

You should remove all personal belongings from your car, including anything you want to keep.

Taking a few minutes to check the car properly can help you avoid losing important items and ensure the handover goes smoothly.

Step 4. Take the car to an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF)

A vehicle that has reached the end of its life must be scrapped at an ATF.

These are licensed sites that can depollute the vehicle properly and handle the destruction process in line with the rules for end-of-life vehicles. You cannot legally scrap a vehicle through an unlicensed operator.

You can use GOV.UK’s ‘Find a vehicle scrapyard’ tool to find an ATF near you.

Step 5. Hand over the V5C logbook but keep the right section

When you hand the car over, take the V5C logbook with you, if you have it. This is the document that connects the car to the DVLA's vehicle records and to you as the registered keeper.

The V5C logbook is a key document in the scrapping process.

What to do with it:

• Detach the yellow 'Sell, transfer, or part-exchange your vehicle to the motor trade' section.
• This is Section 4 in the new style logbooks (issued from April 2019) and Section 9 in the older style (issued before April 2019).
• Give this section to the ATF and retain the rest of the V5C logbook.

Why this matters:

• It helps show when responsibility for the vehicle changed hands.
• It supports the process of telling DVLA the car has gone to an ATF.
• It gives you a paper trail if there is ever a dispute about what happened to the vehicle.

Step 6. Tell the DVLA the vehicle has been scrapped

This is the step that officially disconnects you from the vehicle on the DVLA's records. Handing the car over is not enough on its own; the transfer still has to be recorded properly.

The simplest way to do this is via the DVLA website.

You'll need the following:

• Your V5C logbook.
• The details of the ATF.

Follow the steps on screen to update the DVLA.

Once they update their records, any remaining full months of vehicle tax will be refunded automatically. Visit our guide ‘The DVLA and selling cars explained’ for more information.

You can still scrap a car without a V5C logbook, but you must write to the DVLA with:

• Your name and address.
• The vehicle registration number.
• The make and model.
• The exact date of transfer.
• The name and address of the motor trader or ATF.

Step 7. Understand what the Certificate of Destruction is for

If your vehicle is fully scrapped by an ATF, you should receive a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) within 7 days (for eligible vehicles like cars and light vans).

The CoD:

• Confirms the vehicle has been permanently destroyed.
• Proves it was handled by an authorised facility.

When you might not get a CoD:

• You will not always receive a CoD, even if the vehicle goes to an ATF.
• If the vehicle is repaired or resold instead of destroyed, no CoD is issued.
• Some vehicles are covered by a Notification of Destruction (NoD) instead.

Think of the CoD as proof the car has been destroyed, rather than the document that handles every part of the legal process. Remember, it is still your responsibility to notify the DVLA after your motor has been scrapped to ensure their records are updated.

Step 8. Keep your paperwork

Once the process is done, keep anything relevant in one place, such as:

• Your retained V5C logbook.
• Confirmation that you told the DVLA.
• Your Certificate of Destruction, if one is issued.
• Your V778, if you kept a private plate.

Your post-scrapping responsibilities

Once the vehicle has been handed over, your responsibilities don't quite end there. Making sure the paperwork is properly completed helps protect you from future liabilities.

• Confirm the Certificate of Destruction (CoD)

  You should receive a Certificate of Destruction from the ATF once the vehicle has been scrapped. This confirms the vehicle has been legally destroyed. If the DVLA has confirmed you're no longer the registered keeper, your legal responsibility for the vehicle has ended. However, a CoD provides additional proof that the vehicle has been scrapped correctly, so it's still worth keeping for your records. If you don't receive one, it's worth contacting the ATF, especially if you haven't had confirmation from the DVLA.

• Cancel your insurance

  Contact your insurance provider as soon as the car is scrapped. You may be entitled to a refund for any unused months on your policy.

• Road tax refunds

  Once you've told the DVLA the vehicle has been scrapped, your car tax will be cancelled automatically. You'll receive a refund for any full remaining months' cover, sent by cheque to the name and address on your V5C logbook.

Frequently Asked Questions