UK salvage categories and parts sourcing

The UK salvage system categorises damaged vehicles; it does not grade the condition or suitability of every component removed from them. Use the category to understand restrictions on the vehicle, then assess any proposed part separately.

Insurance write-off categories A, B, S and N

GOV.UK distinguishes four outcomes:

• Category A: the whole vehicle must be crushed; it is not a donor-parts category.
• Category B: the vehicle cannot be repaired and its body shell must be crushed, although other parts may be salvaged.
• Category S: repairable structural damage.
• Category N: repairable non-structural damage.

S and N vehicles must be repaired to a roadworthy condition before returning to use. Non-structural does not mean undamaged or safe to drive. The ABI Salvage Code is voluntary; its categories and handling provisions do not replace environmental or roadworthiness requirements.

A vehicle category is not a part assessment

Do not turn a donor's category into a promise about a removed engine, ECU or panel. Ask what damage occurred, whether the offered component was affected, what inspection or testing was performed and whether repairs are known. Fire, water, contamination or an impact elsewhere can raise questions that a single exterior photograph cannot answer. The category is context for the enquiry, not the answer.

Waste status and dismantling are separate decisions

The Environment Agency's guidance applies to England: A and B write-offs are waste; S or N status alone does not make a vehicle waste, but deciding to scrap it changes the position. A vehicle being dismantled for parts is waste. Use the relevant nation's regulator for the receiving site, as explained in our breaker yard guide. Buying access to an auction is not authorisation to dismantle vehicles.

Buying a whole vehicle versus a removed part

If you plan to keep a written-off vehicle, follow the insurer and DVLA process linked below and obtain vehicle-specific repair and insurance advice before committing. This parts guide cannot establish roadworthiness, repair cost or insurability. When buying a removed part instead, identify the exact item, its number, known damage, included equipment and application. Keep those two purchasing decisions separate.

Questions to resolve before paying

Ask who owns and sells the item, which donor details can be provided, what the test evidence covers and what the written return terms allow. Have the fitting workshop review uncertainty about condition or compatibility. Keep the listing, photographs and invoice. Neither a low price nor a reassuring category letter replaces these checks, and no category guarantees an insurance outcome or a component's remaining service life.