Insurance write-off categories S and N explained
SHORT ANSWER
Category A and B write-offs must be destroyed and can never return to the road, with Category B allowing salvageable parts to be reclaimed before the shell is crushed. Category S is structurally damaged but legally repairable, and Category N is non-structural damage that is also repairable. Only S and N vehicles can be sold on or driven again once properly repaired.
Write-off categories describe what may legally happen to a damaged vehicle, not simply how bad the damage looked. Getting the category right determines whether you are choosing between repair and sale, or whether the law has already made the decision for you.
Category A: destruction only
The entire vehicle must be crushed. Nothing may be reclaimed, not even undamaged parts, and the shell cannot be resold. Severe fire and flood damage typically lands here.
A Category A vehicle can only go to an authorised treatment facility for full destruction with a Certificate of Destruction issued.
Category B: body shell destroyed, parts may be reclaimed
The bodyshell must be crushed and can never return to the road, but serviceable parts may legally be removed and reused first.
As with Category A, disposal must be through a licensed facility and the destruction recorded.
Category S: structural damage, repairable
S means damage to the structural frame, chassis or crumple zones. The car is repairable and can legally return to the road, but the repair is specialist work and the category stays on the vehicle record permanently.
Insurers often write these off because professional repair costs exceed the vehicle's value, not because the car is beyond saving. If you keep the car after settlement, you own something with a permanently reduced market value.
Category N: non-structural damage, repairable
N covers damage outside the structural frame: panels, lights, bumpers, electrics, sometimes brakes or steering components. The car is repairable and roadworthy once fixed.
Older cars frequently become Category N over cosmetic damage alone, because a couple of panels and a paint job can exceed the value of a fifteen-year-old hatchback.
What to do if you keep the salvage
Insurers sometimes settle and let you retain the vehicle for a reduced payout. If it is Category A or B your only lawful route is destruction at an authorised treatment facility.
If it is S or N you can repair it, sell it as salvage, or scrap it. We collect all four categories across Scotland and issue a Certificate of Destruction where the vehicle is being destroyed. Tell us the category when you book so the paperwork is right first time.
Key takeaways
- A and B can never return to the road. B allows parts to be reclaimed first.
- S is structural but repairable. N is non-structural and repairable.
- The category stays on the vehicle record permanently and cuts resale value.
- Tell your scrap buyer the category up front so the paperwork matches.
USEFUL NEXT STEPS
Written by the Scrap A Car Scotland team. Last reviewed 18 August 2026.