An end-of-life vehicle is a car or light commercial vehicle weighing less than 3.5 tonnes which is going to be disposed of by the registered owner as waste. Owners of intact end-of-life vehicles must deposit their vehicle at a permitted or licensed authorised treatment facility.

Each vehicle manufacturer or importer is required to have a national collection system in place made up of at least one such treatment facility in every city and council area. These facilities provide a free take-back service for vehicles of that producer’s brand. There may also be an independent facility in your area that will accept your end-of-life vehicle.

Disposing of your End of Life Vehicle:

• Deposit your vehicle at a permitted or licensed authorised treatment facility. An Authorised Treatment Facility (A.T.F.) will not charge for accepting an end-of-life vehicle.
• You will receive a certificate of destruction.
• The ATF forwards a copy of the certificate of destruction to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the National Vehicle and Driver File is updated to show the vehicle is scrapped.

The disposal of end-of-life vehicles is controlled because they can pose a threat to the environment. This is largely because of the hazardous materials contained in end-of-life vehicles.

If an end-of-life vehicle is deposited at an unauthorised facility, the owner will not receive a valid certificate of destruction and may remain recorded as the registered owner of the vehicle on the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport’s National Vehicle & Driver File.