Scrapped Car Check
Instantly Verify Vehicle Scrap Status Online
See if a vehicle has been scrapped, deregistered, or permanently removed from the DVLA register.
Enter a registration number
Run a free scrappage status check today and upgrade anytime for a full CarVeto vehicle history report, including MOT results, insurance write-off alerts, salvage classification, mileage verification, and outstanding finance checks.
Prevent costly legal or financial mistakes. Confirm status before you buy, sell, or insure any motor vehicle.
What Is a Scrapped Car Check (and Why It Matters)?
A scrapped vehicle check, also known as a vehicle disposal check, deregistration lookup, or scrap status inspection, confirms whether a motor vehicle has been permanently removed from the DVLA vehicle register under end-of-life regulations.
This status is applied when a vehicle has been dismantled, crushed, or recycled by an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) and officially deregistered.
Once a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) is issued, the process is final and irreversible.
Scrappage checks help protect:
- Buyers – avoid unknowingly purchasing a vehicle that can’t be legally driven, insured, or re-registered.
- Sellers – confirm a registration’s legal status before listing it for sale.
- Owners – prove DVLA compliance after vehicle disposal and avoid potential fines or disputes.
⚠️ Scrapped, Written-Off or Salvage
- Written-off vehicles are marked by insurers after severe damage but may be repaired and returned to the road.
- Salvage vehicles may be dismantled for parts without being fully deregistered with the DVLA.
How to Check if a Car Has Been Scrapped
You can verify a vehicle’s scrap status using its registration number (VRN) through the DVLA database or a CarVeto vehicle history report.
This process helps confirm whether the vehicle has been scrapped, deregistered, or permanently removed from the UK road register, protecting you from costly mistakes.
Checking with a Registration Number (VRN)
- Enter the VRN into CarVeto’s free scrappage status check.
- Our system queries DVLA scrappage records to see if the vehicle is scrapped, destroyed, or permanently removed.
- Get results instantly, showing scrap date, method of disposal, and ATF details.
- Upgrade for a complete history, including MOT history, insurance write-off alerts, salvage classification, mileage verification, and finance checks.
Checking without a V5C Logbook
If you don’t have the vehicle’s V5C logbook:
- Use the VIN from the chassis plate or windscreen.
- Run a VIN status check via CarVeto to confirm scrap status.
- Contact DVLA directly with proof of ownership, such as a bill of sale or photo ID matching DVLA records.
DVLA Scrapped Car Records Explained
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) maintains the UK’s official database of vehicles that have been scrapped, deregistered, or permanently removed from the road register.
These records are created when an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) dismantles, crushes, or recycles a vehicle and issues a Certificate of Destruction (CoD).
What DVLA Scrap Records Include
- Scrap date – when the vehicle was officially deregistered.
- Method of disposal – dismantled, crushed, recycled, or exported for scrap.
- ATF details – the licensed breaker's facility responsible for processing the vehicle, where available
- Vehicle identifiers – registration number (VRN), Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and CoD reference number.
Update Frequency
DVLA updates scrap status entries once a valid CoD is received from the ATF, typically within 2–5 working days.
Delays can occur if paperwork is incomplete, incorrect, or submitted late. It may take up to 30 days for the CarVeto database to reflect system updates.
DVLA vs Insurance Records
- DVLA scrap data confirms the legal removal of a vehicle from the UK road register.
- Insurance write-off records classify vehicles by damage severity, but this does not always mean the vehicle is scrapped.
- A vehicle can be an insurance write-off without being scrapped.
- A vehicle can be scrapped without ever being in an insurance write-off category.
Not the Same as SORN
A Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) means a vehicle is temporarily declared off-road and untaxed — it can be returned to the road in future. A DVLA scrap record is permanent.
Why It Matters
A DVLA scrap record is the most authoritative confirmation that a vehicle can never be legally driven again.
Relying solely on a seller’s word or insurance data can leave buyers exposed to fraud or outdated information.
For complete DVLA data alongside MOT history, tax status, and insurance write-off details, see our DVLA Registration Check page.
Certificate of Destruction (CoD)
What It Is
A Certificate of Destruction (CoD) is the DVLA’s official record that a vehicle has been scrapped, deregistered, and permanently removed from the UK road register.
It confirms that the vehicle no longer exists in legal or physical form and that you are no longer its registered keeper.
The certificate is issued only when the scrapping process is carried out by an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF), a business licensed under the End-of-Life Vehicle Regulations 2003 to depollute, dismantle, and recycle vehicles.
How it’s Issued
- When an ATF completes the dismantling and recycling process, it submits the vehicle details (registration number, VIN, and disposal method) electronically to the DVLA.
- Once the DVLA updates its records, the CoD is generated and issued to the ATF, who must pass it on to the vehicle owner.
- The CoD itself is free, but you may still incur charges for the scrapping service depending on the vehicle’s condition and location.
When to Obtain or Replace
- When scrapping your vehicle, the ATF will provide the CoD within seven days of processing.
- Lost your CoD? The DVLA does not reissue Certificates of Destruction. Contact the ATF that handled your vehicle.
- If the ATF is no longer in business, provide the DVLA with your vehicle registration, VIN, and disposal date/location to confirm the record.
Why It Matters for Legal Compliance
Without a CoD, you remain the DVLA’s recorded keeper, making you liable for tax, insurance, fines, and legal issues linked to the vehicle.
It’s your proof that the vehicle has been permanently removed from the road and that your ownership responsibilities have ended.
Notifying DVLA When You Scrap Your Car
When you scrap a vehicle in the UK, you must notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to update their records.
This confirms that the vehicle has been scrapped, deregistered, and permanently removed from the road register.
Failure to notify the DVLA can leave you liable for vehicle tax, penalties, or legal issues linked to the vehicle after disposal.
Step-by-Step Notification Process
Online:
- Go to the official DVLA “Tell us you’ve sold or scrapped your vehicle” service.
- Enter your registration number, postcode, and the details of the Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF).
- Submit the form. You will receive instant confirmation by email.
By post:
- Complete section 9 (V5C/3) of your V5C logbook.
- Send it to: DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA.
- Keep proof of postage in case of disputes.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
If you fail to inform the DVLA:
- You may still be billed for vehicle tax.
- You could be held responsible for parking fines, speeding tickets, or other offences committed after you’ve disposed of the vehicle.
- In some cases, legal action may be taken for failing to update the DVLA register.
See our step-by-step DVLA Notification guide.
Common Reasons Cars Are Scrapped
Vehicles are scrapped when they reach the end of their useful life or when repair costs outweigh their value. Common scenarios include:
- End-of-life accident damage – Severe damage from a collision that makes the vehicle unsafe or uneconomical to repair.
- Failed MOT with high repair costs – When the cost of repairs to pass an MOT test exceeds the car’s market value.
Learn more about common MOT failure causes in our MOT Failure List guide. - Selling to a scrap yard for parts – Owners may choose to dismantle a vehicle for valuable components rather than pay for repairs.
In many cases, older cars with rust damage, mechanical failures, or outdated safety features are also sent for scrappage under end-of-life vehicle regulations.
Related Vehicle Status Checks
For a complete picture of a vehicle’s history and legal status, you may also want to run these related checks:
Write-off Check
Identifies if the vehicle has been recorded as an Insurance Write-Off, including its damage category.
Salvage Check
Confirms if the vehicle has been dismantled for parts or sold at a salvage auction and recorded in a Salvage Title Check.
VIN Check
Verifies the vehicle’s identity using a Vehicle Identification Number Check, helping detect cloned or stolen vehicles.
MOT History Check
Shows the vehicle’s full MOT Records with pass/fail history, advisories, and mileage records.
Running multiple checks provides stronger protection against fraud and ensures you have accurate, up-to-date information before buying, selling, or insuring any vehicle.
FAQs on Scrapped Car Checks
No. Once a vehicle is officially scrapped and recorded by the DVLA, the marker is permanent and cannot be reversed.
Yes. You can run a free scrappage status check using the registration number via CarVeto’s Registration Check service.
Forever. Once a vehicle is deregistered as scrapped, the record stays in the DVLA database permanently.
No. A vehicle with an official scrappage record cannot be legally driven, registered, or insured in the UK.
Yes. You’ll need proof of ownership, such as a bill of sale or photo ID matching DVLA records.
The Authorised Treatment Facility will still be able to process the vehicle and issue a Certificate of Destruction.