Vehicle history checks
How to check if a car has been scrapped
Updated 3 September 2026 · 1 min read · by DealerPricing
A vehicle history check shows a "Scrapped" marker when an authorised treatment facility or insurer has told the DVLA the car was destroyed. A scrapped car’s registration is closed and it should never be back on the road; one for sale is likely a Cat A or B write-off or a clone. DealerPricing checks this for £3.99.
Step by step
Open the vehicle history check
Go to the DealerPricing vehicle history check. It searches the same national databases that branded checks such as HPI use: the Police National Computer, the insurers’ MIAFTR register, finance company records and the DVLA.
Vehicle history check →Enter the registration and pay £3.99
Type the number plate and click "Check History". One-off checks cost £3.99; subscribers pay £2.50 from their account balance. The report is ready in seconds.
The vehicle history check form with the Check History button Read the scrapped marker
Under History Check, "Scrapped" shows "Not scrapped" for a normal car. A hit means the DVLA holds a destruction record; read it alongside the write-off and stolen markers.
What is included in a DealerPricing history report: stolen, finance, write-off, export/import, scrapped, colour changes, keepers, plate changes, mileage, MOT history, vehicle details and PDF
What you’ll see
- Scrapped or certificate of destruction marker
- Write-off category and insurer, which usually explain the scrapping
- Stolen markers, in case the identity has been cloned onto another car
Ready to try it?
£2.50 for DealerPricing subscribers. Report stored for 6 months with a PDF.
Run a vehicle history check — £3.99 →Frequently asked questions
Can a scrapped car be put back on the road?
No. Once a certificate of destruction is issued the registration is permanently closed. A car carrying that plate is either a clone or was illegally rebuilt from a Cat A or B write-off.
Why would a scrapped car show up for sale?
Criminals sometimes use the identity of a scrapped car to disguise a stolen one of the same model. The plates and even a V5C can look genuine. Always compare the VIN on the car with the report.
Does a free DVLA check show scrapped status?
The DVLA vehicle enquiry usually returns no record or an error for a scrapped registration. A history check states it explicitly and adds the write-off and theft context.
Related guides
Terms explained
- Category A write-offCategory A is the most severe UK insurance write-off classification — the vehicle must be scrapped in its entirety with no parts salvaged for re-use.
- Category B write-offCategory B is the second-most-severe UK write-off — the body shell must be destroyed but salvageable mechanical parts may be sold for use in other vehicles.