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We deal with thousands of requests for used car parts daily, and increasingly we are asked about scrapping a vehicle. So, let’s explore the how, why, and where of it.
Why?
We have a legal obligation. The main legal instruments for ELV legislation in the UK are:
• The End-of-life Vehicles Regulations 2003 (as amended)
• The End-of-life Vehicles (Producer Responsibility) Regulations 2005 (as amended)
• The Directive on end-of-life vehicles (ELV Directive) 2000/53/EC (as amended)
• The Directive on the type-approval of motor vehicles regarding their reusability, recyclability and recoverability 2005/64/EC (as amended)
Essentially, the government is saying ‘When your vehicle has reached the end of its usefulness, you must get it scrapped at an authorised treatment facility (ATF). These are sometimes known as a scrapyard or breaker’s yard’. The process is to try and ensure that no expense is incurred by the vehicle owner, the vehicle is stripped of usable parts or recycled. The authorised treatment facility (ATF) must follow strict environmental standards.
Virtue should be rewarded – recycling is virtuous and getting paid for it is a reward. You may have no use for the car but it will have value in the recycling industry, either as spare parts or as material to be reformed into new parts.
How?
You will need to find an authorised treatment facility (scrapyard). If you intend to drive the vehicle to the recycling facility, remember that you will still need the vehicle to be taxed, licensed, and insured. For convenience’s sake, or if the car is not roadworthy, the car can be collected.
There will be paperwork involved.
• You may want to keep the licence plate, if so then you inform the DVLA before scrapping the car. You can apply online or by post. It costs £80. You must have the vehicle’s log book (V5C). To check if your vehicle has been marked as scrapped and obtain a full history, you can try a car check report.
• You need to give the scrapyard the vehicle log book (V5C), but keep the yellow ‘sell, transfer or part-exchange your vehicle to the motor trade’ section from it. The scrapyard needs to have filled this in first. You then send it to the DVLA.
• Once the breaker has your vehicle, they can decide to completely scrap it, or repair and sell it themselves. If it is the former, then you will be given a ‘certificate of destruction’ within 7 days.
• You will need to inform the DVLA that you have scrapped your vehicle. This can be done online or, increasingly, the scrapyard can help you take care of this. Caution: You can be fined £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA. You should get a letter confirming that you are no longer the registered keeper.
• Getting paid. It’s illegal to be paid in cash if your vehicle is scrapped in England or Wales. You have to be paid by bank transfer or cheque. If the car is repaired and sold you can be paid in cash, and you do not get a ‘certificate of destruction’.

In Summary:
• Why – legal obligation, and virtue of recycling.
• Where & how – via an ATF [scrap yard].