Certificate of Destruction explained: what happens when a van is scrapped

When a van reaches the end of its life and is sent for scrap, a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) is the document that closes the book on it officially. Without one, the van remains on DVLA’s records as a live vehicle, and the consequences of that can follow the last registered keeper for years.

What is a Certificate of Destruction?

A CoD is an official document issued by an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF), a DVLA-approved scrap site that meets environmental standards for vehicle disposal, confirming that a vehicle has been permanently destroyed in accordance with the End of Life Vehicles (ELV) Regulations 2003.

It contains:

• The vehicle registration number
• The VIN/chassis number
• The date of destruction
• The ATF’s details and licence number
• A unique certificate reference number

Once issued, DVLA is automatically notified and the vehicle is permanently removed from the register. It cannot be re-registered, re-plated, or legally driven again.

Why it matters to the previous keeper

If a van is scrapped but no CoD is issued, or if it’s scrapped by an unlicensed operator, the vehicle remains active on DVLA records. This means:

• You can receive penalty charge notices for a van you no longer own, if someone uses it illegally
• DVLA can pursue you for tax evasion if the van is driven without VED
• ANPR enforcement may flag your previous address from the V5C for unpaid tolls or charges

The CoD is your protection. Keep it with your records.

Who is authorised to issue a CoD?

Only DVLA-approved Authorised Treatment Facilities can issue a CoD. There are several hundred licensed ATFs in the UK, large established scrap yards and specialist vehicle depollution centres. Any individual, “man with a van”, or unlicensed scrap dealer cannot legally issue a CoD.

This is why you should never accept cash-in-hand for a scrap van from someone who can’t provide a CoD. Even if they pay you, the legal responsibility for the vehicle remains with the last registered keeper on DVLA’s records until a valid CoD is issued.

What is depollution?

Before a van is crushed, an ATF is required by law to carry out depollution, the removal of hazardous materials that cannot go into the scrap metal stream:

• Engine oil, gearbox oil, coolant, and brake fluid (drained and collected separately)
• Fuel (drained from the tank)
• Battery (removed and recycled through approved channels)
• Airbag pyrotechnics (discharged or removed)
• Tyres (removed for separate disposal)
• Catalytic converter (retained for precious metal recovery)
• Air conditioning refrigerant (recovered and captured, not vented)

You don’t need to do any of this before collection. Leave the van as it sits, the ATF handles depollution as part of their licensed process.

How you receive the CoD

Once the van has been depolluted and crushed at the ATF, the facility registers the destruction on DVLA’s database and issues the CoD. This is now done electronically, DVLA’s records update automatically, and you receive the certificate:

• By email, most modern ATFs issue digitally
• By post, some older facilities still post physical copies
• In either case, the certificate typically arrives within 5–10 working days of destruction

Keep it. Even though DVLA’s records have already been updated, the CoD is your proof if any enforcement action arises later relating to that registration.

What happens to the metal?

After depollution, the van body is shredded. The steel goes into the electric arc furnace supply chain, it becomes new steel. Aluminium, copper wiring, and other non-ferrous metals are sorted and sold separately. The precious metals from the catalytic converter (platinum, palladium, rhodium) are recovered by specialist refiners.

Roughly 95% of a modern van’s material is recovered and recycled. The 5% that goes to landfill is mainly non-recyclable plastics and composite materials.

Scrapping without a V5C

You can scrap a van without the physical V5C, but you’ll need to provide your ID and confirm you are the registered keeper. The ATF can verify this against DVLA records. They will note the absence of the V5C on their paperwork.

If you’re scrapping via us, we handle the ATF relationship and the CoD process. You receive confirmation once the certificate has been issued.