Plain-English UK reference
Know what the marker means.
Clear, fact-checked guides to Cat A, Cat B, Cat S and Cat N — plus the older Cat C and Cat D markers — before you buy, sell or repair.
Categories at a glance
- CAT A Scrap only Back on the road: Never
- CAT B Parts only Back on the road: Never
- CAT S Structural damage Back on the road: Yes, after repair
- CAT N Non-structural damage Back on the road: Yes, after repair
- CAT C Legacy (pre-2017) Back on the road: Sometimes
- CAT D Legacy (pre-2017) Back on the road: Sometimes
The six categories
Four current markers under the ABI Salvage Code, and two retired ones that still appear on history checks.
The whole vehicle must be crushed. It can never return to the road, and no parts may be recovered for resale.
Back on the road? NeverThe body shell must be destroyed, but undamaged parts can be recovered and resold through approved channels.
Back on the road? NeverStructural damage that is repairable. The vehicle can return to the road after professional repair and DVLA re-registration.
Back on the road? Yes, after repairDamage that does not affect the structural frame. The vehicle can return to the road once repaired to a roadworthy standard.
Back on the road? Yes, after repairRetired marker from before October 2017. Repair costs exceeded the vehicle’s value, but a return to the road was permitted.
Back on the road? SometimesRetired marker from before October 2017. Repair costs were below the vehicle’s value, but the insurer chose not to repair.
Back on the road? SometimesWhat do you need to know?
Seen a marker on a history check?
Find out what the category means, how it got there, and whether the vehicle can legally return to the road.
Understand the categories →Thinking of buying a write-off?
What to confirm before you pay — documents, repair evidence, insurance position and the realistic resale discount.
Read the buying advice →Need the rules themselves?
The ABI Salvage Code status, what changed between V11 and V12, and how electric vehicles are treated.
Go to reference →Why this site exists
UK write-off coverage is fragmented. The Association of British Insurers updated the Code of Practice in May 2025 (Version 12) with the first explicit rules for electric vehicles, mega-castings, and high-voltage batteries. The industry's write-off register, MIAFTR, was renamed Vehicle Salvage & Theft Data and migrated to a new platform in November 2025. Both changes are recent, and much of the available consumer coverage predates them.
WriteOffCars brings the four current categories and both retired markers into a single regularly maintained reference. Every page cites primary sources only, and re-verification runs every six months. The site does not recommend specific car buyers, insurers, salvage yards, or history-check providers. Decisions sit with the reader.