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Scrap cars

Old vehicles are too often left to decay, dismantled privately, or sold to illegal scrap dealers. However, end-of-life vehicles are hazardous waste and should certainly not be left to deteriorate in a yard or in nature for years. It is important that scrap cars are delivered to authorized waste management operators who can direct reusable vehicle parts to reuse safely and ensure high-quality recycling of the materials recovered from them.

Be aware of the hazards

Unawareness causes vehicle owners to leave a vehicle to decay or sell it to illegal demolishers.

  • Scrap cars qualify as hazardous waste because they contain fluids and hazardous parts.
  • Illegal waste management establishments demolish vehicles without an impermeable surfacing, and they do not own a rainwater harvesting system nor an oil separator, ultimately endangering groundwater and the health of people.
  • Illegal waste management establishments may intentionally burn the waste; improper storing of waste may cause fires.
  • Non-compliant processing of gas in an air conditioning may endanger the health of people.

 

Never sell your unusable vehicle to an illegal waste manager!

  • An illegal demolisher will not issue a certificate of destruction to the vehicle owner nor enter themselves into the traffic register as a new owner.
  • If you sell your unusable vehicle to an illegal demolisher, the vehicle is transferred in the traffic register without amending the owner. Most likely, you will remain as the owner, having to deal with unpleasant consequences, e.g. compulsory insurance, motor vehicle tax (starting from 2027) and violating the requirements of the Waste Act.
  • Starting from 01.01.2026, a fee of 15 euros must be paid for deleting a vehicle from the traffic register without a certificate of destruction, and starting from 01.01.2027, the state fee will be 800 euros. The 800-euro fee is due to the fact that dismantling a vehicle without an environmental permit is an illegal activity.
  • If you notice an illegal demolition establishment, notify the Environmental Board (write to [email protected] or call 1247).

Requirements pursuant to the Waste Act

  • A waste holder is required to handle the waste in their possession according to the established requirements or transfer the waste for handling to a person holding the corresponding right.
  • A person transferring waste must, under the circumstances, be convinced that the transferee holds an environment protection permit granting the right to handle the waste transferred.
  • The liability of a waste holder for handling the waste shall be terminated or transferred if the new waste holder has an environment protection permit for handling the corresponding type of waste.
  • If the waste holder delivers the waste for handling to a person not holding the corresponding right, the waste holder will be liable for the waste handling.
  • Pursuant to the Waste Act, a violation of requirements for waste management through the transfer of waste for handling to person without a waste permit constitutes a misdemeanour.
  • Motor vehicles and parts thereof qualify as products of concern. A product of concern means a product the waste resulting from which causes or may cause health or environmental hazards, environmental nuisances, or excessive pollution of the environment.
  • Collecting and handling scrap cars requires a waste permit that is issued by the Environmental Board. It is forbidden to collect scrap cars without a waste permit!
Lagunev auto

Solution

Scrap cars are hazardous waste and must be handled pursuant to legally established requirements and in an environmentally sustainable manner.

A vehicle that is removed from use is removed from the register pursuant to a certificate of destruction that is issued by a treatment facility with an environmental permit. A treatment facility with an environmental permit is capable of reusing your vehicle.

Recyclable parts of scrap cars include tyres, oil filters, batteries, glass, and metal, while plastic parts and liquids are directed to energy recovery. Some scrap cars also allow the maintenance of environmental resources by reusing spare parts.

Contacts for scrap cars removal:

Estonian Automotive Recyclers’ Association, phone number 57877233

Kuusakoski, free short number 13660

After handling, Kuusakoski and  the Estonian Automotive Recyclers’ Association issue an electronic certificate of destruction to the traffic register of the Transport Administration that is the basis for removing the vehicle from the database.

Remember that when you hand over a scrap car, you need to submit the following documents:

  • registration certificate of the vehicle (technical passport);
  • an identity document of the person transferring the vehicle;
  • a contract of purchase and sale (if the vehicle is transferred by someone other than the owner);
  • a power of attorney of the owner (if the vehicle is transferred by someone other than the owner);

After you have sold your car, make sure that the required amendments are made in the traffic register. Vehicles that are no longer used are removed from the traffic register pursuant to a certificate of destruction.

Last updated: 11.05.2026

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