How to Scrap Your Car in Portugal: Process & Required Documents
The time has come to end your vehicle's lifespan and you're unsure where to start. We explain the full process, required documents, and next steps.
An End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) is one that is no longer fit to circulate — due to breakdown, accident, wear and tear, or simple lack of interest from the owner, who intends to have it scrapped. The first step is the most important: choosing where to deliver it.
Only an authorised treatment facility can issue the Certificate of Destruction, the official document that triggers registration cancellation. MJD is a licensed treatment centre, part of the national Valorcar network, and handles the entire administrative process.
Documents You Need to Gather
In a standard process, very little is required from you. Whether delivering the car to our driver or bringing it to our facilities yourself, the documents remain the same:
Original vehicle documents: Single Automobile Document (DUA) or, for older vehicles, the registration booklet and ownership title.
Owner's Citizen Card: For presentation upon delivery.
Signed IMT Model 9 form: Printed form brought by our driver or provided at reception, authorizing us to request registration cancellation with the IMT.
If the vehicle is registered under a company name, the signature on Model 9 must be legally certified. Special circumstances require additional documentation: vehicles under a deceased person's name (probate/inheritance documents), vehicles with reservation of ownership or liens (which must be cleared beforehand at the registry), and lost or seized documents. In any of these scenarios, speak with us before scheduling collection to avoid unnecessary trips.
Vehicle Delivery
The vehicle must be delivered complete. Under these conditions, scrapping costs the owner nothing. Depending on the model, year, and condition, the vehicle may even be eligible for monetary valuation.
Regarding delivery, you have two options:
Request collection: Our driver travels to the agreed location, receives the vehicle and documents, and manages the process from there. Non-running vehicles are no obstacle.
Personal delivery: Deliver the vehicle directly to our facilities in Guidões, Trofa, bringing the same documents. This is the fastest route: processed on the spot, allowing you to leave with the Certificate of Destruction in hand without waiting.
The Certificate of Destruction
Once documents are validated and the vehicle received, the Certificate of Destruction is issued. This document proves delivery to a licensed operator and supports registration cancellation. Keep the original.
Data is transmitted to the IMT, which notifies the Tax Authority (ending IUC tax liability) and the Vehicle Registry Office (cancelling ownership registration). From this date, the vehicle legally ceases to exist, freeing the owner from associated responsibilities.
You only need to complete one final step: cancel your auto insurance policy with your provider.
What Happens to the Car Next?
Our work begins. The vehicle undergoes de-pollution — removal of oils, fuel, coolant, brake fluid, battery, glass, tyres, filters, and pyrotechnic components — before dismantling. Reusable parts are tested and recovered, while remaining materials enter their respective recovery cycles. Almost everything that once formed your car returns to the economy in another form.
Have questions? Contact our team at abate@mjd.pt or visit our facilities in Guidões, Trofa, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
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