Whether they’ve been written off, reached the end of their working lives or you’ve decided that you can no longer afford the upkeep of your car; the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) ensure that scrap cars are disposed of according to very specific guidelines.
They advise that you send your car to one of the 1558 Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) which is obliged to break down your car in an environmentally friendly way; the sites themselves must be deemed as having a positive impact on the environment and they must effectively get rid of the hazardous waste which makes up your car. You will then be given a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) as proof that your car has been disposed of and is no longer in your care. This document aims to put a stop to people scrapping their own cars; as unauthorised treatment facilities will not guarantee a CoD this should discourage people from bypassing an ATF. The DVLA says that the figures don’t add up as two million cars a year are claimed to be scrapped while only one million CoDs are registered. Without a CoD you could be hit by a nasty fine from the DVLA of £200 if your car is found dumped.
If this all sounds rather time consuming, you can donate your scrap car to Giveacar instead! All you have to do is give us a bell, leave a few details and we’ll organise for a reputable scrap car recycling and collection team to come and collect your scrap car at your convenience.
The DVLA is also your point of contact if you are considering keeping your registration plate –we warn you though, it is quite a complicated process – and if you want to reclaim the car tax on a donated car.