Guide · updated 2026
Can I get cash for my scrap car? The law, plainly
This is the question we are asked more than any other, and the honest answer surprises people: nobody can legally pay you cash for a scrap car. Not us, not the yard down the road, not the man with the flatbed who knocks on your door.
What the law says
The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 banned cash payments for scrap metal, and end-of-life vehicles fall squarely under it. Payment has to be made by electronic transfer or by a non-transferable cheque, so that every transaction leaves a trace.
The ban was brought in to deal with metal theft. When scrapyards paid cash, stolen cable, lead, rail track and vehicles could be turned into untraceable money within the hour. Forcing payment through a bank account made that far harder.
So how do you get paid?
By bank transfer, on the spot. Faster Payments normally clear in well under a minute, so in practice the money is in your account while the driver is still stood on your drive — before your car goes anywhere.
That is the standard across the industry now, and it is what we do. You will need your account number and sort code to hand when we collect.
Why you should worry if someone offers you cash
It is not a good deal, it is a warning sign. A dealer willing to break this law is telling you something about how they handle the rest of their obligations — including whether your car is genuinely destroyed and whether DVLA is ever told.
You also have no proof you sold it. If the vehicle is later dumped, burnt out or used in a crime, the trail leads to the last registered keeper, and that is you.
Quick answers
Is it illegal for me to accept cash for my car?
The offence sits with the dealer, not the seller. But accepting it leaves you with no record of the sale and no protection if the vehicle resurfaces, so it is a bad position to be in.
How quickly does the bank transfer arrive?
Usually under a minute using Faster Payments. We send it before the car is loaded, so you can check your banking app while the driver waits.
This page is general information, not legal advice. For the official position, check GOV.UK — and if something about your car does not fit what is written here, ring the yard and ask.