Every vehicle has a unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) that serves as its fingerprint. When scrapping a car, the VIN plays an important role in ensuring the process is legal and protecting both you and our scrap yard from potential issues.
What Is a VIN?
The VIN is a 17-character code that uniquely identifies your vehicle. It contains information about the manufacturer, model, engine type, and year of production. You will find it on the dashboard visible through the windscreen, on the driver’s door frame, and on the V5C registration certificate.
Why We Check the VIN
Our car scrappers verify the VIN on every vehicle we collect. This check confirms the vehicle matches the V5C logbook, is not recorded as stolen, and does not have outstanding finance that would prevent legal disposal. This protects you from unknowingly disposing of a vehicle with legal encumbrances.
VIN and Outstanding Finance
If a VIN check reveals outstanding finance, the vehicle technically belongs to the finance company, not the registered keeper. We cannot legally scrap a vehicle with active finance without the finance company’s permission. If you discover your car has outstanding finance, contact us for guidance on resolving this before scrapping.
Stolen Vehicle Checks
Every vehicle processed at our breakers yard is checked against the Police National Computer database for stolen vehicle reports. This is a legal requirement under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 and protects innocent parties from handling stolen property.
Cloned or Mismatched VINs
If the VIN on the vehicle does not match the V5C, our auto salvage team will investigate further before proceeding. Mismatched VINs can indicate cloning or previous undeclared repairs. We follow strict protocols to ensure every vehicle is legitimate.
Get your legitimate, documented scrap quote. Full VIN verification on every vehicle. Free collection across Scotland.