What is a Certificate of Destruction (CoD)?

When you scrap your car in the UK, one of the most important documents you’ll receive is the Certificate of Destruction (CoD). This is the official proof that your vehicle has been permanently scrapped by an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF).

Since ATFs are the only places licensed to scrap end-of-life vehicles in the UK (and therefore the only ones that can issue the CoD), it certifies the car’s been dismantled, recycled and disposed of in accordance with the UK’s legal and environmental frameworks.

Without it, you could still be held legally responsible for the car. That includes fines, penalties and road tax issues that come up after disposal.

By the end of this short guide, you’ll have answers to all the questions you have surrounding the Certificate of Destruction.

Why do you need a CoD?

You need a Certificate of Destruction because it’s the only legal proof that your car has been scrapped in line with DVLA and environmental regulations. It protects you from future liability if the vehicle is misused, certifies the car is deregistered correctly and confirms the disposal was done responsibly through a licensed facility.

There are five main reasons you need a CoD:

• Ensures legal compliance: A CoD certifies your vehicle has been scrapped by a licensed ATF in full compliance with End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Regulations 2003 and other UK laws. Since ATFs are the only ones able to issue Certificates of Destruction, it’s a compliance requirement for both you and the car scrapyard you’re dealing with.
• Confirms environmentally responsible disposal: To earn (and keep) the licence, ATFs have to meet strict environmental standards for removing, storing and disposing of oils, batteries and coolants before recycling or reusing parts. They also have to reuse or recycle at least 85% of the vehicle’s weight. Those processes prevent pollution, reduce landfill waste and recover valuable materials for reuse in manufacturing.
• Protects against future liabilities: Since it proves your car’s no longer in use, a CoD protects you from being held liable for whatever happens to it after you hand it over. Without one, you’ll still be linked to the vehicle (and its corresponding fines) if it’s illegally reused, abandoned or involved in an offence.
• Prevents unauthorised use of the vehicle: An unlicensed operator might sell your car on, clone it or strip it for parts illegally. Some even export vehicles illegally instead of dismantling them. A CoD stops this risk by confirming the car has been fully destroyed, so it can’t be reused or re-registered under anyone’s name or used in illegal activity.
• Serves as proof of deregistration: The DVLA uses the CoD to permanently remove the car from the national vehicle registration database. Without it, you're still listed as the registered keeper, meaning you’re responsible for road tax, insurance and registration.
• Simplifies the selling and scrapping process: From a practical standpoint, it makes everything smoother for both you and the scrap yard. Think of it like a receipt: it’s clear documentation of ownership transfer for your records (and theirs), and it’s a formal way to finalise the transaction.

When will you receive your CoD?

ATFs are legally required to issue a Certificate of Destruction within seven days after they’ve fully scrapped and recycled your vehicle. Some ATFs issue it much faster, though. Through our nationwide scrap network, I’ve seen it happen within 24 hours on many occasions.

This is what the typical timeline looks like:

• Day 1: Vehicle is collected, drained of fluids, depolluted and dismantled by the ATF.
• Day 1-2: ATF submits details electronically to the DVLA.
• Day 2-3: DVLA verifies the record, updates the register and generates the CoD for the ATF to issue.
• Day 3-7: The ATF issues the CoD, usually digitally but sometimes by post, depending on the ATF’s process and the contact info you gave them.

Of course, the exact timing varies based on how quickly the ATF completes its paperwork and how the DVLA system processes the submission. Larger facilities with automated systems tend to issue them faster. Smaller operators take longer if processing is manual or if they have to correct some of the documentation.

Should you notify the DVLA when requesting a CoD?

You don’t need to contact the DVLA to request a CoD. The Authorised Treatment Facility handles that one for you. Once your vehicle is scrapped, the ATF notifies the DVLA through its online system, which then generates and issues the CoD automatically. It’s the ATF who is responsible for sending that CoD on to you.

However, you are legally required to notify the DVLA after scrapping your car. This step formally confirms from your end that you’re no longer the registered keeper, matches the DVLA’s records to the CoD and prevents future tax and liability issues.

You can notify the DVLA online using your V5C logbook reference number (takes 2 minutes) or by posting the yellow V5C/3 to the DVLA (takes several weeks).

Once you do this, you can reclaim your unused road tax. They’ll automatically send you a cheque in the post for any full unused months.

What should you do with the CoD?

Once you receive your Certificate of Destruction, knowing what to do with it protects you from future issues and guarantees you have the right records if you ever need to reference the vehicle’s disposal.

There are four things I’d recommend:

• Store the CoD safely for future use. Keep the Certificate of Destruction in a secure place (ideally in a personal filing system and a digital record), as it’s your only legal proof that the vehicle has been permanently scrapped.
• Provide the CoD when updating vehicle registration. The DVLA updates its records automatically when they issue the CoD, but you’ll need to show it if there are discrepancies in those records or when confirming the car’s disposal history.
• Use the CoD for insurance purposes. For liability purposes, insurers sometimes ask for a copy to verify the vehicle no longer exists before you cancel coverage. This is especially the case when a claim was made before scrapping your car.
• Check for CoD issuance after scrapping. Always confirm that the ATF has issued the CoD and that it matches your vehicle details. If you haven’t received it within a week, contact the facility directly.

What if you lose your Certificate of Destruction?

You can’t request a brand-new Certificate of Destruction. It’s a one-time document the DVLA issues to the ATF that handled your vehicle. But don’t worry. What’s actually important is that your car was destroyed and officially removed from their database (which it was if you received the CoD the first time around).

If you’ve misplaced or deleted yours but still want one for peace of mind and recordkeeping, the best approach is to contact the same ATF and ask if they can provide a copy from their records. If that doesn’t work, you can reach out to the DVLA directly to confirm.

Here’s what to do:

• Contact the Authorised Treatment Facility. Speak to the ATF that scrapped your vehicle and explain you’ve lost your CoD. Even though they can’t reprint it, they can confirm your CoD was generated and share the certificate number or destruction date.
• Request written confirmation from the ATF. A written statement or email confirming that your vehicle was dismantled and a CoD was submitted to the DVLA can act as proof if you ever need to verify your car’s disposal with insurance or tax authorities.
• Check the DVLA record. Use our vehicle tax checker. If it says the car’s ‘taxed’ or ‘SORN’, it wasn’t fully deregistered. If it says ‘untaxed’, deregistration might be in progress. If it says ‘vehicle details not found’, it was removed from the public system.
• Request confirmation from the DVLA. If you want to be double sure, you can write to the DVLA (using a V888 form) to request confirmation that a CoD exists for your vehicle. This isn’t a new certificate, but it is official proof that your car has been destroyed.
• Provide documentation when making requests. Whether you contact the ATF or DVLA, have your vehicle registration number, VIN and personal details ready. You might also need to provide a copy of your V5C logbook or proof of previous ownership.
• Keep detailed records. Save every email, letter and confirmation you receive from the ATF and DVLA. These will end up crucial if a future issue arises (e.g. a tax reminder or parking fine for the car you’ve already scrapped).

Do you need a CoD to scrap your car?

You don’t need a Certificate of Destruction to scrap your car. It’s issued after the scrapping process is complete. When you take your vehicle to an Authorised Treatment Facility, though, there are a few documents you’ll need:

• V5C logbook
• ID (e.g. passport or driving licence)
• Proof of address (e.g. a utility bill or bank statement)

Once the ATF dismantles and recycles the car, it reports the details to the DVLA, which then generates the CoD as confirmation that the vehicle has been destroyed and deregistered.

When you scrap your car through us, we handle the DVLA paperwork for you. We’ll pick up your car, pay you on the spot and get you the Certificate of Destruction in 7 days, tops.