Can I scrap a car that is not in my name?

Sometimes, but not on your own. We can only buy a car from the registered keeper, the person named on the DVLA record, or from someone who can show they have the right to sell it for them. That is the law for every licensed scrap yard, and it protects you as much as us. For the paperwork on the day, see our page about scrapping a car without a V5C.

Who counts as the registered keeper?

It is the name on the V5C logbook and on the DVLA's record. It is not always the person who paid for the car or the person who drives it. A car bought for a son or daughter, a company car taken over by an employee, or a car bought privately where the logbook was never sent off can all still be in someone else's name.

The car is my partner's or a relative's

The keeper books it in their own name, online or by phone, and the money goes to them, because the price is paid to the registered keeper only. Nobody has to be there on the day: the car can be left for us to collect, as long as we know where it is and can reach it. So a parent in a care home or a partner at work does not need to take time off. You can do the running around, as long as the booking and the payment are in the keeper's name.

I bought the car but it is still in the last owner's name

Then the DVLA still thinks the car is theirs. Send off the new keeper slip (section 6 of the V5C) if you still have it, or apply for a logbook in your name with form V62 (£25). Once the DVLA record shows you, we can scrap it straight away. If you scrap it before then, the DVLA will write to the old owner, not to you.

The registered keeper has died

Then you can scrap it as the person sorting out their affairs. Our guide on scrapping a car for someone who has died explains what to bring.

The car is on finance

It belongs to the finance company until the last payment is made, so it is not yours or the keeper's to scrap. Settle the finance first and keep the letter that says it is paid off.

Quick answers

Can I scrap my dad's car if he is still alive? Yes, if the booking is in his name. He does not have to be there when we collect, and the payment goes to him.

Do you check? Yes. We check the keeper's details against the DVLA record every time, and we pay only the registered keeper.

What happens if the wrong person scraps a car? The DVLA record and the Certificate of Destruction would be in the keeper's name, and the keeper could report the car stolen. That is why we check.