Can you scrap a car without a V5C log book?
SHORT ANSWER
You can scrap a car without a V5C logbook in the UK. You need photo ID, proof you own the vehicle, and a written declaration to the DVLA instead of the logbook. Scrap A Car Scotland buys cars without a V5C across Scotland and handles the DVLA side, so a lost logbook never stops a collection.
Missing log books are common, especially with inherited cars, long-term driveway projects and vehicles bought years ago from a private seller.
You can still scrap it
A V5C makes everything simpler, but its absence is not a blocker. What matters is that you are the legal keeper and can show a reasonable link to the vehicle: insurance documents, previous MOT certificates, a bill of sale, garage invoices or a letter confirming you are dealing with the estate.
How the notification works instead
Without a V5C, write to the DVLA at Swansea confirming the vehicle has been scrapped, giving the registration, make, model and the name and address of the Authorised Treatment Facility that took it. Keep a copy. The ATF will still notify the DVLA and issue your Certificate of Destruction.
Extra care with no paperwork
Anyone offering cash and no documents for a car with no log book should be avoided outright. That is exactly the route stolen and fly-tipped vehicles take, and your name is on the last record. Insist on a licensed ATF, a written collection note and a CoD.
Key takeaways
- No V5C is not a barrier to a legitimate scrap.
- Bring any evidence of ownership you can find.
- Write to the DVLA yourself as a backup notification.
- Never take cash-and-no-paperwork for an undocumented car.
Written by the Scrap A Car Scotland team. Last reviewed 21 April 2026.