Cat N check

Find out if a car has been written off as Category N. Check non-structural damage, accident history, write-off dates and insurer details with a full car history report.

£15 full car history reportInstant results

Works with:

Included in your report:

Write-off category
Date of the loss
Recording insurer
All write-off categories
Outstanding finance
Mileage history

What Is a Cat N Car?

A Cat N car is a vehicle that has been written off by an insurance company after damage that did not affect its structure.

That can include cosmetic damage, electrical faults, deployed airbags or water damage to the interior and electrics.

Cat N cars can be repaired and returned to the road. They keep their registration and logbook, but the write-off marker remains part of the vehicle's history.

Before buying a Cat N car, it's important to find out what was damaged and whether the repairs were completed properly.

What a Cat N record looks like in your report.

A recorded write-off has its own section: the category, the date of loss and the insurer, plus the damaged areas when the record includes them.

Accident history

Example

Category N write-off

An insurer wrote this car off after non-structural damage on 17 May 2022.

Write-off details

Category: Category N
Date of loss: 17 May 2022
Cause: Accident
Insurer: Direct Line

Damage areas: Rear, Rear nearside

Write-off category

More to less serious

Cat AScrap only
Cat BParts only
Cat SStructural
Cat NNon-structural

What does this mean?

Category N means the damage wasn't structural, such as cosmetic or electrical damage. It can be driven again once it's been repaired.

Ask for proof of the repairs and who did them
Get it inspected by an independent engineer
Expect higher insurance and a lower resale value

Accidents not reported to insurers may not be recorded.

Example data. Cause and damage areas are shown when the record includes them.

What a Cat N check tells you.

Checked against the insurance industry's write-off records for the registration you enter.

Any write-off, not just Cat N

The report shows every recorded category (A, B, S and N, plus the older C and D), so a Cat N check also tells you if a car was written off in any other way.

When it happened

The date of loss. Set it against the MOT history, the mileage and what the seller has told you.

Who recorded it

The insurer that settled the claim, where the record names one. Two records mean the car was written off twice.

Older Cat D records

Cat N replaced Category D in October 2017. A car written off before then may carry Cat D, and the check shows that too.

Cat N vs Cat S: What's the Difference?

Cat N vs Cat S: What's the Difference?
	Cat NNon-structural	Cat SStructural
Structural damage	No	Yes
Can be repaired	Yes	Yes
Can return to the road	Yes	Yes
Insurance write-off	Yes	Yes
Write-off marker remains	Yes	Yes
Independent inspection recommended	Yes	Yes

Cat N involves non-structural damage, while Cat S involves structural damage. Both categories can affect a car's value, insurance and resale prospects. Looking at a car recorded for structural damage? Use the Cat S check.

Why Is a Cat N Car a Risk?

Many Cat N cars are repaired well and are a sensible buy at the right price. The risk is buying one without knowing.

Not always minor

Non-structural does not mean small. Deployed airbags, water-damaged electrics and expensive cosmetic damage can all end in Cat N.

Hidden from the paperwork

A Cat N car keeps its registration and logbook, and nothing on the paperwork a seller hands over announces the category. Checking the registration is how you find out.

Quality of repairs

Airbag and electrical repairs are hard to judge on a viewing. Evidence from the repairer and an inspection tell you what you cannot see.

Insurance

Insurers ask about write-offs. Most will cover a repaired Cat N car, but the premium can differ and some decline.

Resale value

The marker stays on the record for life, so the next buyer's check will find it and they will expect to pay less too.

Check the registration before you view it.

Find out if it is recorded as Cat N, or any other write-off, in one report.

Instant results
Write-off category and date
£30,000 data guarantee

What to Do if a Car Is Cat N

A Cat N record is a reason to ask questions and adjust the price, not always a reason to walk away. Do these before you pay a deposit.

Find out what was damaged

Ask the seller what the claim was for. Airbags, electrics and water damage deserve more questions than a scraped panel.
Ask for the repair evidence

Invoices and photos from the repairer, and a list of what was replaced. Airbag and electrical repairs are the ones worth seeing paperwork for.
Get an independent inspection

An inspection tells you about the car in front of you, which no record can. On a viewing, check every warning light clears and the electrics all work.
Read the MOT history around the loss

Look at the tests either side of the date of loss for advisories, mileage gaps or long periods off the road.
Free MOT history check
Get an insurance quote first

Tell an insurer it is a Cat N car and get a price on this registration before you commit.
Compare the asking price

Compare it with the same model, age and mileage without a record. You will be selling a Cat N car when you move it on. See how much value a Cat N car loses.

When a Cat N check can come back clear.

A clear result means no write-off is recorded. It is not proof the car has never been damaged.

Damage repaired privately, with no insurance claim, is never recorded as a write-off.
A claim where the insurer paid for a repair rather than writing the car off does not create a category.
Only write-offs recorded by insurers against the vehicle appear, so an uninsured loss will not.

Signs of repair on a car with a clear record are still worth asking about. The MOT history and an inspection fill the gap.

Already bought a Cat N car?

If nobody told you, your options depend on who sold it and how it was described. Act quickly and keep the advert, messages and paperwork.

Bought from a dealer: the car must match its description under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. If it does not, you can reject it for a full refund within 30 days.
Bought privately: the car must be as described. If the seller said it had never been written off, you may have a claim for misrepresentation.
Either way: have the repair inspected, especially airbags and electrics, and tell your insurer. Most ask about write-offs, and a wrong answer can affect a claim.

Where our data comes from.

Always from official records. We do not create, edit or estimate any data.

DVLA

Registration, keeper history, import and export status and recorded vehicle details.

DVSA

Full MOT test history including results, advisories and mileage at each test.

Insurance industry records

Recorded write-off markers such as Cat A, B, S and N from insurance industry records.

UK finance lenders

Outstanding finance agreements including HP, PCP and conditional sale records.

Police stolen vehicle records

Stolen vehicle markers from UK police records, checked against the registration.

Vehicle identity

Plate and colour changes, the recorded specification and the last five characters of the VIN, to match against the car.

Cat N check FAQs

How do I check if a car is Cat N?

Run a history check on the registration. Write-off categories are held on the insurance industry's records against the vehicle, not on the logbook, so the registration is the way in. The report shows the category, the date of the loss and the insurer where one is recorded.

Does a Cat N check show other write-off categories?

Yes. The report shows every recorded write-off category, including Cat S and the older Cat C and D, with each write-off listed separately.

Can I check if a car is Cat N for free?

No. Write-off categories sit on insurance industry records, which are not public. A free MOT history check shows test results, advisories and mileage, but it does not show whether a car has an insurance write-off marker. The category, date of loss and insurer are in the £15 report.

Does Cat N show on the V5C logbook?

You should not rely on it. A Cat N car keeps its original logbook and needs no re-registration, so the paperwork a seller hands over will usually say nothing about the write-off. A check against the registration is the reliable way to find out.

Is a Cat N car the same as a Cat D car?

Near enough. Category N replaced Category D on 1 October 2017, and both mean non-structural damage that was uneconomical to repair. Cars written off before that date carry Cat D, and a Cat N check shows either.

Should I buy a Cat N car?

It can be a sensible buy at the right price, if you know what was damaged, have seen evidence of the repair and have an insurance quote. Our guide to whether you should buy a Cat N car goes through it.

How much cheaper should a Cat N car be?

There is no set percentage. Compare it with the same model, age and mileage without a record. The discount should reflect how many buyers would walk away from a Cat N car, because you will meet the same buyers when you sell.

Does Cat N affect resale value?

Yes. The marker stays on the record for life, so any buyer who runs a history check will see it and expect to pay less. It can also take longer to sell.

Can a seller hide that a car is Cat N?

They can stay quiet about it, and because nothing on the paperwork shows it, a buyer who does not check will not know. They cannot remove it: the marker stays on the record for the life of the vehicle.

Can I insure a Cat N car?

Usually. Most insurers will cover a repaired Cat N car, but you must declare it, the premium can differ and some decline. Get a quote before you buy.

Does a clear Cat N check mean the car has never been damaged?

No. It means no write-off is recorded. Damage repaired privately, or a claim where the insurer paid for a repair, never creates a category. The MOT history and an inspection cover what the record cannot.

Know if it is Cat N before you negotiate.

Enter the registration to see any recorded write-off, its category and its date.

Full vehicle history
No account required
£30,000 data guarantee