The process for informing the DVLA of your motor’s scrapping is incredibly straightforward. Failing to do so can result in a fine. In the simplest terms possible, you just need to go to the government’s website here and follow the instructions.
This page covers…
Notifying Online That Your Car Has Been Scrapped
Online is easiest, and the process involves entering the details of the vehicle and of the Authorised Treatment Facility (the scrap or salvage yard) that disposed of it, including their trade name and address. Importantly, you’ll also need the most up-to-date 11-digit reference number from your V5C.
Once the car is gone and the DVLA has been informed, you won’t need to worry about SORNs, insurance, or tax. In fact, you might even get a refund for any months you’d already paid for!
Notifying By Post
Although it’s much easier and much more common to contact the DVLA about your scrapped car online these days, it is still possible to do so by post instead. The buyer of your vehicle (the ATF) should fill in the yellow section of your log book titled ‘sell, transfer or part-exchange your vehicle to the motor trade.’
Notify Without The V5C Log Book
If you’re missing your V5C log book, you will need to send a letter to the DVLA at ‘DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BD‘ containing the following information:
- Your name & address
- The vehicle registration number
- The make & model
- The date of sale
- The name & address of the scrapyard/ATF that purchased it
| Lost your V5C? Here’s our guide to scrapping if you’ve lost your V5C form? |
What Happens Next?
Once you’ve notified DVLA that you’ve scrapped your car, you no longer need to do anything to keep on the right side of the law. It’ll be up to the DVLA to do the rest of the work. That includes sending you confirmation of their being made aware that you’ve scrapped your car via email and by post.
Didn’t receive any confirmation from the DVLA to prove your vehicle has been scrapped? You can find out how to check the status of a vehicle here.
It’s at this point that you will also receive any full months refunded from your tax, assuming you pay annually and not monthly via direct debit.
What To Do With The Car’s Paperwork
Once your motor has been scrapped, you may be left with some documentation and wondering what to do with it all.
Certificate of Destruction
The Certificate of Destruction (CoD) is written confirmation that the car or van in question has indeed been destroyed. If you inexplicably receive any documentation regarding the vehicle afterwards, including fines or other letters from the police, the CoD is evidence to prove that you can’t possibly have been driving it.
New Keepers Slip
The new keepers slip is essential when selling a car, be it to a scrap dealer or another private owner. It’s used to transfer the ownership of the vehicle to the buyer. In this case, that’ll be the ATF that’s scrapping it.
V5C Log Book
The V5C (or log book) is an essential document for every motorist to keep safe. It’s used when selling your car to inform the DVLA who’s selling & buying it, and for what purpose (e.g. for use by a business). Because of the importance of this paperwork, National Scrap Car will help you deal with the V5C when you’re scrapping or salvaging your car, ensuring that the correct sections get filled in and sent off or retained.
V778 Number Plate Retention
This is only relevant to you if the motor you’re scrapping has personalised registration plates. If it does, you’ll need to fill in this form, or else lose your ownership of the plate.
| Read more: Everything you need to know about scrapping a car with a personalised number plate |
How To Fill In The V5 Form
Our collectors or our sales team will be more than happy to assist you with filling in this paperwork. It simply involves filling in Section 4 of the newly-formatted Log Book (or Section 9 of the pre-2019 version) to inform the DVLA of the date of sale and name & address of the Authorised Treatment Facility purchasing the vehicle.
| Read more: Complete guide to filling out the V5C form |
How To Claim A Tax & Insurance Refund
We’ve already covered tax above, when we stated that the DVLA will automatically refund any full months of tax you’ve paid if you paid annually as opposed to monthly.
The same rule does apply to your car insurance, but you’ll have to inform your insurance company that your vehicle has been scrapped separately as they won’t get the information from the DVLA.
| Read more: Complete guide to claiming a tax refund when scrapping a car |
Who Is Involved When Scrapping A Car?
There are a few different parties involved in the vehicle scrapping process, and they may or may not vary depending on your personal circumstances.
What Happens If I Don’t Tell The DVLA I’ve Scrapped My Car?
Not informing the DVLA about the destruction of your old motor can leave you severely out of pocket. A fine of £1,000 is commonplace in this case.
What If My Car Has Been Written Off & Scrapped By My Insurance Company?
This works in a similar way to selling it as scrap with National Scrap Car, in the sense that your insurance company are essentially buying the vehicle from you. Once they’ve paid out a lump sum as a settlement, the car belongs to them. They will deal with documentation.
Can Someone Else Scrap My Car?
Yes, but only with your express permission.
It’s not possible for somebody to simply arrange for your vehicle to be collected and scrapped so they can pocket the cash – this is exactly why cash payments were outlawed in 2013. However, if you give somebody written permission, and all of the relevant documentation, they are able to act on your behalf and scrap your car.
Can I Scrap A Vehicle That’s Registered Abroad?
Yes, but you will need to contact that country’s equivalent of the DVLA and also inform them that the vehicle has been disposed of.
Still haven’t scrapped your car yet?Get a free and instant online quote just by adding your reg number into the box below. |