Write-off categories
UK car write-off categories explained
When an insurer decides a damaged car is not worth repairing, it records a salvage category against the registration. Four categories are in use today — A, B, S and N — and two more, C and D, still appear on cars written off before 1 October 2017.
The category tells you two things: whether the car can legally return to the road, and whether the damage was structural. Markers are permanent, and a seller does not have to mention one.
| Category | Back on the road? | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Category A | No — never | Category A is the most severe write-off category. The vehicle is damaged beyond any safe reuse, so the entire car must b... |
| Category B | No — never | Category B vehicles are damaged badly enough that the body shell must be destroyed, but usable components may be removed... |
| Category S | Yes — after repair and re-registration | Category S means the vehicle sustained structural damage — to the chassis, frame or another part of the shell that does... |
| Category N | Yes — no re-registration required | Category N means the vehicle was written off for damage that did not affect its structure. The chassis and frame are int... |
Legacy categories: Cat C and Cat D
Category C and Category D were retired on 1 October 2017 and replaced by Category S and Category N. Because write-off markers are permanent, cars written off before that date still carry the old labels, and you will still meet them when buying used.
- Category C Category C is a legacy category, used before 1 October 2017. It covered vehicles that were repairable, but where the cos...
- Category D Category D is a legacy category, used before 1 October 2017. It covered vehicles with less severe damage that was still...
How to check whether a car is a write-off
A write-off marker is held against the registration, not printed on the logbook. A Carpeep write-off check reports the recorded category, and the full car history check covers it alongside outstanding finance, stolen markers, mileage and previous keepers in one £15 report.
Related reading: our guide to insurance write-off categories in practice, and the best car history check UK comparison.