Disclaimer: The information provided by Dirt Legal is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Please consult your CPA or attorney for guidance on all financial and legal matters.
Whether you are a professional scrapper or simply tired of looking at a junk car in your yard, you likely have some common questions:
1. How do I junk a car?
2. How much will I get for it?
3. Do I need a title to junk a car?
4. Are there better ways to dispose of a car?
It’s always best to provide a title when scrapping a car, as there are very few situations where you can do so without one. If you’ve lost the title to your car, there are several ways to recover it. That’s our specialty at Dirt Legal.
We can replace your lost, stolen, or missing car title in just a matter of weeks. Click here to learn more.
Do You Need a Title to Junk a Car?
A valid title is required to give a car to a salvage yard to be scrapped. Even in states that don’t require titles for certain cars, you will need to provide some legal paperwork proving your ownership of the car for a junkyard to take it.
You cannot use the following things to prove ownership:
A bill of sale, because those can easily be forged
Proof of insurance because it is possible to insure a vehicle that isn’t yours to sell
Cash and bribery won’t work, the yard is required to report every car they acquire
A scrap yard cannot simply acquire a vehicle from the side of the road and decide to generate revenue by crushing it. This requirement exists for a crucial reason. Scrap yards are mandated to inform the state whenever they destroy a vehicle.
They must report the vehicle’s source and, in many cases, provide information regarding the individual who delivered it to their facility. One significant benefit of this regulation is that it allows for the tracing of vehicles involved in criminal activities back to the individuals who surrendered them.
How to Scrap a Vehicle for Money
Prior to initiating the process of acquiring a vehicle, it is advisable to organize all relevant documentation. If you possess a vehicle title, ensure that it is completed in its entirety.
In instances where one is purchasing a junk vehicle with the intention of scrapping it, the requirements may vary by state; it may not be necessary to endorse the title or transfer it into your name. In certain cases, only the signature of the seller is sufficient.
It is prudent to consult with your local scrapyard to verify their specific requirements. While some scrapyard operators may stipulate that the title is in your name, many accept a title that is merely signed by the seller.
As long as the current owner has authorized the transfer of ownership through their signature on the title, there may be no need to incur the costs associated with transferring the title if the intention is solely to junk the vehicle. This situation represents one of the few exceptions where an open car title is acceptable, as it typically leads to significant complications.
A junkyard might turn your car down because of:
An active theft
Active liens or loans
The title you have is invalid or has been replaced
The model or condition of the car, though this is rare
You can avoid this by running the car’s VIN number through a checker. It’s always a good idea to run the VIN if you intend to scrap a car, especially if you just bought it. Any reputable scrapyard will do this when you get there, but you would rather find out ahead of time if there’s some reason you might be turned down.
Check a VIN number here.
How to Get Your Car to the Junkyard
When attempting to dispose of a non-operational vehicle, it is often impractical to incur expenses for transporting it to a junkyard. The scrappers mentioned previously, who claim the ability to dismantle any vehicle, typically possess their own flatbed trucks or wreckers specifically designed for such tasks.
Consider contacting one of these scrapers directly, or alternatively:
– Engage the services of a tow truck (noting that this incurs a service fee).
– Inquire with the junkyard to determine whether they offer pick-up services for vehicles.
– Seek assistance from a friend who has access to a truck and trailer.
– Consult your insurance provider to check for any available towing coverage.
Scrappers are able to sustain their businesses primarily because numerous individuals do not have the means to transport their vehicles to a junkyard themselves. They arrive equipped with a trailer and manage the logistical challenges on your behalf, subsequently receiving payment for their services.
It is worth noting that only one of the aforementioned options may require an upfront financial commitment. Additionally, certain choices may ultimately result in a financial loss, as the monetary compensation for scrapping a vehicle may not be as substantial as commonly perceived.
How Much Money Can I Get for Junking a Car?
Not as much as you might think. A scrap yard will buy your junk car for the value of its weight in metal, but scrapping a car today isn’t as profitable as it once was – and the number is always changing. In most cases, it’s more profitable to sell the car locally on a classified website or in the newspaper instead of scrapping it.
Scrap metal values were much higher 20 years ago, around the time when the internet started coming into its own. People were scrapping all sorts of cars that had broken down throughout the years without realizing anyone else wanted them. That’s one reason why you rarely see vintage foreign cars like old Audis and Volkswagens in the United States: most of them broke down, were difficult to repair, and were eventually sold for scrap when metal prices were high.
These days, scrap values hover right around $125 per ton for a complete car.
You can see an up-to-date average here a couple of lines down labeled as “Complete Car.” With the average passenger vehicle weighing about 1.5 to 2 tons, this means you should expect to make between $175 and $250 by taking your car to a junkyard.
Don’t expect to make a large profit unless the car you’re scrapping is exceptionally heavy.
Scrap prices vary by state and sometimes by county, and they change all the time, so check your local scrap values before making any plans to junk your car.
Need a Title?
In most cases, you need a valid title in order to scrap a car at a junkyard.
Don’t have one? Dirt Legal can help.
Our title specialists can get you a new title on your behalf quickly and easily. Skip all the hassle and legwork of the DMV, and let us work for you.
Click here for more information.
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