Car Write-Off Categories Explained (Cat A, B, S, N)

Since October 2017, UK insurers have used four write-off categories to describe how badly damaged a vehicle was, and what legally has to happen to it afterwards. Two of the four mean the car should never be on the road again; the other two mean it's been repaired and can legally be driven, but still carries a permanent history marker.

Category A - scrap only

The most severe category. The vehicle must be crushed in its entirety, and no parts may be resold or reused, even for spares. A car showing a genuine Category A history should never legally reappear for sale.

Category B - break for parts only

The body shell must be crushed and the vehicle must never return to the road, but individual components (engine, gearbox, panels) can be salvaged and resold separately. Like Category A, a genuine Cat B car itself should never be back on sale as a driveable vehicle.

Category S - structural damage, repaired

"S" stands for structural: damage to the chassis or frame. A Category S vehicle has been assessed, professionally repaired and can legally return to the road. This doesn't automatically mean it's unsafe, but structural repairs are a bigger job than cosmetic ones, and it's reasonable to ask for evidence of the repair and consider an independent inspection before buying.

Category N - non-structural damage, repaired

"N" stands for non-structural: damage that didn't affect the chassis or frame, such as cosmetic panel damage, electrical faults or interior damage. A Category N vehicle can also legally return to the road once repaired, and is generally considered less serious than Category S.

The older Cat C and Cat D system

Vehicles written off before October 2017 may still show the categories these replaced: Category C (roughly equivalent to today's S) and Category D (roughly equivalent to today's N). You may still see these labels on older vehicle history records.

Does a write-off category mean the car is unsafe?

Not necessarily - a well-repaired Category S or N car can be perfectly safe to drive. What it does mean is that the car's market value is permanently reduced compared to an equivalent car with no write-off history, and some insurers charge more (or decline cover) for a written-off vehicle. It's worth knowing before you agree a price, not after.

Want to check a specific vehicle? Our free lookup shows basic details at no cost, and a full ValeCheck report shows the write-off category, the date it was recorded and much more - see our guide to checking write-off history for the full process.