The Risks of Going Off-Record: What Really Happens If You Scrap a Car Without Informing the DVLA

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How to notify the DVLA that your car has been scrapped

Notifying the DVLA (Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency) is an important step in the process of scrapping a vehicle, but is incredibly simple, particularly with the DVLA’s own online portal making it as streamlined as possible.

All you need is the 11-digit number from your car’s latest V5C (or logbook, as it’s mostly known) and the name of the trader that you have sold the vehicle to, even if no money has changed hands. Officially, at the time of destruction, the car will be in possession of the scrapyard or insurance company, so the DVLA will need to know this.

Simply put the name of the trader into the DVLA system, along with your 11-digit number, and then destroy the logbook, if it wasn’t already handed over to the insurers or scrapyard first. 

You’ll then receive confirmation via email (if provided) and a letter confirming you are no longer the registered keeper of the vehicle. You’ll also receive a refund of any full months worth of unpaid tax on the vehicle. This is calculated from the day the DVLA receives your notification, so it’s important to get this sorted as soon as possible to get the refund you’re entitled to. If you pay tax via Direct Debit, this will be cancelled as soon as you notify the DVLA.

Informing via post

You can also inform the DVLA you have passed your car onto a scrapyard or insurance company by post. You’ll need to get the new owners to fill out the yellow “sell, transfer or part-exchange your vehicle to the motor trade” section of the logbook, and then send that to the DVLA’s Swansea address.

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What to do if you have no logbook

Not having a logbook does make things slightly trickier, but not impossible by any stretch of the imagination. Instead, you’ll need to write to the DVLA directly to inform them your car has been scrapped. You’ll need to provide the following information:

• your name and address
• the vehicle registration number
• the make and model
• the exact date of sale
• the name and address of the scrapyard or insurance company

If any of this information is missing, the DVLA could reject your notification, which will also impact your likelihood of getting any tax refund.

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What happens if you fail to notify the DVLA

Failure to notify the DVLA means they’ll naturally assume that the car still exists, meaning you could be in line for fines for not taxing or insuring the car, even if it doesn’t exist. If you do scrap your car without notifying the DVLA then you could be handed a fine of £1,000 simply for failing to tell them.

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Why you should notify the DVLA

Other than avoiding a fine and because, well, it’s the law, not notifying the DVLA could lead you into a world of associated issues.

• Paying tax for a car you don’t own: No-one enjoys having to pay Vehicle Excise Duty (or road tax, as it’s known by everyone normal), so why would you possibly want to keep paying it if you don’t have to? By not telling the DVLA, they think you still own the car and will therefore keep expecting you to pay tax on it.
• Unwanted fines: Failing to notify the DVLA means that they’ll still believe the car belongs to you. Therefore if the car is abandoned by an unsavoury scrapyard before it is scrapped, driven without tax, caught speeding or even involved in the likes of fly-tipping, any fines will be attributed to you and still, officially, be your responsibility.
• Risk of vehicle cloning: With the vehicle’s identity still technically being “live” according to DVLA databases, there’s nothing stopping criminals from switching your car’s old identity onto a new vehicle (quite often a stolen one). This vehicle will then be sold on to an unsuspecting buyer, who will unwittingly be buying a car with no record of its actual history.

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Where to scrap a car legally

Car scrapping can legally only take place at Authorised Treatment Facilities. ATFs are government-approved scrapyards or vehicle dismantlers that follow strict rules and regulations with relation to the dismantling of end-of-life (scrap) vehicles. They are monitored by the Environmental Agency to ensure that the removal of any hazardous materials is done so in a safe and secure manner. They must also have adequate provisions to securely store parts, and must also provide the seller of every vehicle scrapped with a Certificate of Destruction. This certificate provides proof to the last owner that it has been scrapped and thus removed from the DVLA database.

Scrapping vehicles anywhere other than an ATF is illegal, so you must always ensure you are taking your car to a registered location. 

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How to scrap a car easily

You can guarantee a simple way to scrap your car with all legal boxes ticked by going through the Scrap Car Comparison system. We’ll find you a reputable buyer from a registered Authorised Treatment Facility, and will guide you through every step to ensure that you complete the necessary paperwork and have any unwanted surprises.

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