Why is a certificate of destruction so important?

18th Nov, 2016

Here on the blog, we bang on about all the benefits we offer our customers – including the fact that we’re a reputable car scrapping service that will always provide customers with a certificate of destruction after recycling their old banger.

But why is a certificate of destruction so important? Why does it matter if we give you one or not? And what happens if you opt for a car scrapping service that doesn’t bother? All good questions, and we’ve got the answers below.

What is a certificate of destruction?

A certificate of destruction (CoD) is a document issued by the DVLA to Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) whenever they scrap an old car. By law, all vehicles recycled by an ATF must be issued with a CoD.

The CoD is passed to the previous owner of the car (you!) to keep as proof that the car:

• Is off the road for good
• Has been processed according to all legal requirements
• Is no longer in your possession, or your responsibility

Any reputable car scrapping organisation will use an ATF, and will therefore be able to provide you with a CoD as part of their service

What happens if I don’t get a certificate of destruction?

It’s important to get a certificate of destruction as proof that you no longer own or drive your old car. 

Certificates of destruction are also an important way for the government to help support reputable car scrapping services, and to divert old cars away from unscrupulous dealers who might try to repurpose old cars illegally after telling the owners they’re being scrapped.

If you do not get a certificate of destruction from your car scrapping firm, you can’t be sure that you’re not still linked – in legal terms – to your old car. Which means that if it does get used for some dodgy business, or it goes out on the road again unlicensed and/or uninsured, it’s your name on the line.

The DVLA has been known to pursue lengthy legal action and hefty fines against vehicle-owners who can’t provide evidence that their car was taken off their hands by a scrap merchant – so it’s vital to ensure you’ve got the right paperwork once you’ve said Scrap My Car!

Scrap Car Network – the safe choice

Scrap Car Network is your national local car breaker – we work with a UK-wide network of scrap car specialists, all of whom operate solely from Authorised Treatment Facilities, so you can be sure that all your paperwork will be in order if you scrap your car with us.

We’ll give you a competitive quote for your car, pick it up, recycle it and transfer the money straight to your bank account. You’ll receive a certificate of destruction as part of our service, so you can rest easy that your old banger’s been dealt with properly!