What makes a car a junk car?

There's no single legal definition. States define junk and salvage differently, and the U.S. Justice Department says its federal reporting rules don't change those state laws. In everyday terms, a junk car is one that doesn't run, isn't worth fixing, or has been sitting for years.

Can a junked car ever be registered again?

In some states, never. A Massachusetts car junked through the RMV can't be titled or registered there again, Wisconsin won't title a junked car at all, and a New York car sold on form MV-35 can't get a new title. If the car could still be fixed, think twice before the paperwork calls it junk.

Do I need the title to sell a junk car?

In most cases, yes. The buyer needs your signature on the title, and many states require junk buyers to hand that title to the state. A lost title is normally replaced by your state first. See selling without a title.

Should I strip it before I sell it?

No. Pulled parts lower the offer, which is priced on a complete car, and a car without wheels is harder to get onto a truck. A loose catalytic converter is also hard to sell legally in many states.

Who is allowed to buy junk cars?

It depends on the state. Federal law makes junk and salvage businesses report the cars they acquire to the U.S. National Motor Vehicle Title Information System every month, unless they handle fewer than five a year. See who buys cars for parts.

Do you pick up junk cars that don't run?

Yes, and we don't charge for the tow. Tell us whether it rolls and where it's parked.

Selling and value

Sell a junk car the simple way: whole, as it sits

You can sell a junk car whole, as it sits, running or not. We pick it up free and you sign the title over. Before you sign anything that says junk, know that in some states that word is permanent.

Updated October 10, 2026 · 8 sources

The short answer

National legal definition: None; each state defines junk
Junked in Massachusetts: Never titled or registered there again
Massachusetts title surrender: Within 10 days
New York MV-35: 8+ model years, worth $1,250 or less
NMVTIS reporting exemption: Fewer than 5 junk cars a year
Converter bills enacted: 12 states in 2021, at least 20 in 2022

What counts as a junk car

There's no single legal definition. The U.S. Justice Department says plainly that state laws define "junk" and "salvage" differently, and that its federal reporting rules don't change those state laws (NMVTIS). In everyday terms, a car is junk when:

the repair bill tops the car's value,
it doesn't run, or runs too badly to drive,
it has sat so long that getting it back on the road isn't worth it.

None of that stops a sale. It changes who the right buyer is.

How a junk car sells to us

Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008, with the year, make, model, mileage and what's wrong.
The offer covers the whole car. You can say no, and nothing is charged.
We pick it up free, wherever it is: your driveway, your workplace or a repair shop.
The driver compares the car with what you told us, and you sign the title over.

What the word "junk" does to your paperwork

When a car is junked, many states close its record for good. Here is what five states say, and what the person taking the car has to do afterwards.

State	What junking does to the car	What the buyer must do	Source
Massachusetts	The RMV marks the record "JUNK," and the car can't be titled or registered in Massachusetts after that.	The person taking the car to junk or scrap it surrenders the title to the RMV within 10 days.	RMV, c. 90D s. 20E
Wisconsin	No title may be issued for a junk vehicle or one that has been junked or destroyed (Wis. Stat. 342.34(3)). The DOT record shows "JUNKED."	Not stated on the page we read.	WisDOT
New York	A car sold on form MV-35, the no-title statement, gets no new title. It has to be dismantled or scrapped.	The dismantler, collector or scrap processor sends the form to the DMV within 15 business days.	MV-35
Ohio	The title is canceled.	A scrap metal processor marks the title "TO BE CANCELED" within 10 days, sends it to the clerk of courts, and keeps the record for 3 years.	R.C. 4738.16
California	An owner who dismantles a car must first apply to record it as "Junk," and surrenders its plates. Cars transferred for wrecking or dismantling don't need a smog check.	Not covered by this section of the manual.	CA DMV 19.030

"Not stated" means the source we read didn't cover it, not that the state has no rule. Other states have their own rules; check with your state's motor vehicle agency.

The MV-35 has tight limits. The car must be at least eight model years old and worth no more than $1,250, and the buyer has to be a certified scrap processor, a DMV-registered dismantler or a registered itinerant vehicle collector. Private buyers and tow truck drivers can't use the form (MV-35).

Junk, salvage or scrap: the word matters

"Junk" on the paperwork usually means the car is finished for road use. "Salvage" usually means it was badly damaged but may be repaired and inspected. "Scrap" is the metal it ends up as.

If the car is rusted out and done, that's no loss. For a newer car with one big failure that a shop could still fix, such as a transmission, it throws value away. If your car is worth repairing, don't sign it away as junk. Read salvage title and junkyard, salvage yard or scrap yard first.

Don't strip it first

It's tempting to pull the battery, the wheels or the converter before you sell. It usually backfires:

An offer assumes a complete car, and the driver will notice what's gone.
Without wheels, the car is much harder to get onto a truck.
A loose converter is hard to sell. Converter theft laws spread fast: NCSL reports that 12 states enacted bills in 2021 and at least 20 more enacted 25 bills in 2022, mostly new rules on buying a detached converter (NCSL).

If parts are already gone, it still sells. See selling a car with missing parts.

Who may buy junk cars

Federal law gives junk and salvage businesses a monthly report to file with NMVTIS, the federal title database. For each junk or salvage car they record when they got it, from whom, and whether it went to the crusher or up for sale. A business that handles fewer than five a year doesn't have to report. The point is to stop a crushed car's VIN from being put on a stolen one (NMVTIS).

States add their own rules. New York treats a tow truck driver who delivers a car on the MV-35 as an agent, not the owner, and anyone whose business is buying dead cars for scrap has to register with the DMV as an itinerant vehicle collector or dismantler (MV-35). More on checking a buyer is on who buys cars for parts.

After the sale

Pull the plates before the car leaves; most states let you keep them. File any notice of sale your state has, and cancel the insurance once the car is gone. The state-by-state rules are on after you sell.

Wondering what it's worth first? Read what a junk car is worth. No title? Begin with the no-title guide.

Questions people ask

What makes a car a junk car?: There's no single legal definition. States define junk and salvage differently, and the U.S. Justice Department says its federal reporting rules don't change those state laws. In everyday terms, a junk car is one that doesn't run, isn't worth fixing, or has been sitting for years.
Can a junked car ever be registered again?: In some states, never. A Massachusetts car junked through the RMV can't be titled or registered there again, Wisconsin won't title a junked car at all, and a New York car sold on form MV-35 can't get a new title. If the car could still be fixed, think twice before the paperwork calls it junk.
Do I need the title to sell a junk car?: In most cases, yes. The buyer needs your signature on the title, and many states require junk buyers to hand that title to the state. A lost title is normally replaced by your state first. See selling without a title.
Should I strip it before I sell it?: No. Pulled parts lower the offer, which is priced on a complete car, and a car without wheels is harder to get onto a truck. A loose catalytic converter is also hard to sell legally in many states.
Who is allowed to buy junk cars?: It depends on the state. Federal law makes junk and salvage businesses report the cars they acquire to the U.S. National Motor Vehicle Title Information System every month, unless they handle fewer than five a year. See who buys cars for parts.
Do you pick up junk cars that don't run?: Yes, and we don't charge for the tow. Tell us whether it rolls and where it's parked.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 10, 2026.

Massachusetts RMV: Junk vehicles (read via Internet Archive capture of Apr. 14, 2026) mass.gov
Massachusetts General Laws ch. 90D, sec. 20E malegislature.gov
Wisconsin DOT: Exporting (Wisconsin) junked vehicles (quotes Wis. Stat. 342.34(3)) wisconsindot.gov
New York DMV form MV-35, Statement of Vehicle Owner Who Does Not Have a Valid Title (rev. 6/22) dmv.ny.gov
Ohio Revised Code 4738.16 codes.ohio.gov
California DMV manual 19.030: Junking a Vehicle, Individual (VC 11520) dmv.ca.gov
U.S. Department of Justice, NMVTIS: reporting for auto recyclers, salvage yards and junk yards vehiclehistory.bja.ojp.gov
NCSL: Lawmakers Seek New Directions on Public Safety (Dec. 5, 2022) ncsl.org