Has This Car Got a Salvage Record?
Check whether a vehicle has been declared a total loss and recorded as salvage. Understand the damage category and what it means before handing over any money.
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What is a salvage vehicle?
A salvage vehicle is one that has been declared a total loss by an insurer — meaning the cost of repair was deemed to exceed a threshold relative to its market value. Once written off, the vehicle is typically sold through salvage channels for repair, breaking for parts, or destruction.
The damage that triggers a salvage event can range from serious accident damage to fire, flood, or theft recovery. The severity determines the write-off category assigned by the insurer, which in turn dictates whether the vehicle can ever legally return to the road.
Importantly, a salvage marker is permanently attached to the vehicle's history — even if it has since been repaired to a high standard and looks perfectly presentable. Without a history check, buyers have no way of knowing.
Accident damage
The most common cause — collision damage that exceeds the economic repair threshold.
Flood damage
Water ingress into the electrics, engine, or interior can cause write-offs even on newer vehicles.
Fire damage
Even partial fire damage can result in a total-loss declaration if safety is compromised.
Theft recovery
A stolen vehicle recovered in a damaged state may be written off rather than repaired.
Understanding the Damage Categories
Every written-off vehicle is assigned one of four categories. The category tells you the severity of the damage — and whether the car can legally come back.
Damage is so severe the vehicle is beyond any form of recovery or salvage. Every component must be destroyed — nothing may be removed for resale. A Certificate of Destruction is issued and the DVLA is notified. Offering a Cat A vehicle for sale is illegal.
The vehicle's shell is too damaged to rebuild and must be destroyed, but individual mechanical components and parts can be stripped and sold on. Under no circumstances can the complete vehicle be rebuilt and put back into service.
The vehicle's load-bearing structure has been compromised — this includes the chassis rails, sill sections, crumple zones, or other frame members. A skilled repairer can return it to roadworthy condition, but independent post-repair assessment is strongly advisable before purchase.
The frame and load-bearing structure are undamaged. The write-off stems from cosmetic, electrical, or trim damage — paintwork, airbag deployment, bumper replacement, or similar. Safety-critical parts such as steering and suspension components should still be independently checked.
Legacy categories (pre-October 2017)
Repairable structural damage. Repair cost exceeded vehicle value.
Non-structural damage. Insurer found replacement cheaper than repair.
Older vehicles may carry Cat C or Cat D records. These are treated with the same seriousness as their modern equivalents.
Can You Buy and Drive a Salvage Vehicle?
It depends entirely on the category — and there are important ongoing obligations if you do.
Cat A & Cat B — Avoid completely
These vehicles are legally required to be destroyed. If you see a Cat A or Cat B vehicle being offered for sale, do not buy it — it cannot be registered or insured and the sale itself may be fraudulent.
Cat S & Cat N — Proceed with caution
These can be repaired and returned to the road, but only after professional assessment. For Cat S, a post-repair structural inspection is strongly recommended. Always verify the quality of any repairs before buying.
Insurance — Always declare
Salvage history must always be declared to your insurer. Non-disclosure is material misrepresentation and can invalidate your policy entirely. Some insurers will not cover salvage vehicles at any premium.
Resale value — Permanently affected
Every subsequent buyer who runs a history check will see the salvage record — it cannot be removed. On the open market, Cat S vehicles routinely sell at a 40–60% discount and Cat N at 20–40%, even when repairs are genuinely good.
Registration — May require evidence
Returning a Cat S or Cat N vehicle to the road may require evidence of roadworthy repairs. Always ensure the vehicle has a valid MOT and that any safety-critical components have been professionally replaced.
Physical inspection — Essential
No history check replaces a physical inspection by a qualified mechanic. Repair quality varies enormously on salvage vehicles. A pre-purchase inspection is the only way to assess the actual condition of the work carried out.
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DVLA and MIAFTR records are queried and any salvage or total-loss markers are returned.
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Clear pass or a flagged alert with the damage category — plus a downloadable PDF report.
Frequently asked questions
A salvage vehicle is one that has been declared a total loss by an insurer — typically because repair costs exceed a threshold relative to its market value — and then sold on, usually through salvage channels. These vehicles may have suffered accident damage, flood or fire damage, or been recovered after theft.
The terms are closely related. A write-off is the official insurance classification. Salvage refers to what happens to the vehicle after that — it may be sold through salvage or auction channels for repair or breaking. Our check looks for recorded write-off and total-loss markers held by DVLA and MIAFTR.
It depends on the category. Cat S and Cat N vehicles can be repaired and returned to the road. Cat A and Cat B vehicles must never be driven again — they are legally required to be destroyed. Always check the category before considering any purchase.
Yes — always. Failing to disclose known salvage or write-off history to your insurer is considered material non-disclosure and can invalidate your policy. Some insurers refuse to cover salvage vehicles entirely; others will cover them at higher premiums.
Significantly. A Cat S record can reduce value by 40–60% or more depending on repair quality. A Cat N record typically reduces value by 20–40%. Even a well-repaired salvage car will always carry a lower market value than an equivalent clean-history vehicle.
Before October 2017, the insurance industry used Cat C (structural damage, repairable) and Cat D (non-structural damage, repairable). These were replaced by Cat S and Cat N respectively. Older vehicles may still carry Cat C or Cat D records, which are equally significant.
A clear result means no salvage or write-off record was found in the data we access. Some very old records, privately settled claims, or vehicles that were repaired without going through formal insurance channels may not appear. A physical inspection is always advisable.