Can I Drop the Car Off To Be Scrapped?

Yes, you can drop your car off at any government-approved Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) if you prefer.

When you do, the ATF will need your details so they can notify the DVLA and issue a Certificate of Destruction once the vehicle is scrapped. You’ll record theirs on the yellow V5C/3 section of your logbook.

It’s essential that the site is properly licensed, as only approved ATFs can issue the Certificate of Destruction, and that’s how the DVLA officially records the vehicle as scrapped and removes your name from it. Not to mention the environmental side: licensed ATFs must depollute the car safely, removing oils, batteries, and fluids in line with strict regulations.

If you’re driving the vehicle there yourself, it has to be taxed, insured and have a valid MOT certificate. Otherwise, arranging collection is the only legal option.

That said, most people don’t bother with drop-off because at Car.co.uk, we collect scrap cars anywhere in the UK free of charge. So the whole process is taken care of without you even having to get up.

Can I drive my car to the scrap yard?

You can drive your scrap car to the yard in theory, but most scrap cars can’t be driven legally because they’re at the end of their lives. That generally means they have a serious fault that makes them unroadworthy. At the very least, they lack a valid MOT, insurance or road tax.

If your car is unroadworthy, your insurance won’t cover you and driving it on public roads will lead to fines and penalty points on your licence. Even a short trip is considered an offence if the vehicle isn’t safe or properly documented.

And if the car can’t be driven (which is usually the case), you can simply arrange collection from a location that works for you. It’s totally free and keeps everything legal so you avoid unnecessary risks. And you hardly have to lift a finger.

What do I need to bring when dropping off my car at the scrap yard?

You’ll need a few key documents:

• A valid photo ID (such as your driving licence or passport)
• Proof of address (like a recent utility bill or bank statement)
• Your V5C logbook or the V5C/3 yellow slip if you’ve already separated it

Also bring the car keys, make sure all personal belongings are removed and take off your private number plates before you hand the car over. And remember to cancel your insurance and road tax after the vehicle is officially scrapped, so you’re not paying for cover you no longer need.

These steps are all straightforward, and having everything ready makes the drop-off quick and hassle-free.

What locations do we collect scrap cars from?

You can arrange scrap car collection from all sorts of places, including your home, a workplace, a garage or wherever the car happens to be parked.

There’s plenty of flexibility. If your car has failed its MOT and you’ve decided not to go ahead with repairs, you can have it collected directly from the garage. If you’ve driven it to work for the last time, we can collect it from there instead. The aim is to make the handover easy, wherever the vehicle is sitting legally and safely.

The only real limitation is accident scenes. Scrap collectors aren’t emergency recovery services, so if the car is blocking a road or is unsafe to move, you’ll need a breakdown or recovery service first. Once the car is somewhere secure, we can take it from there.