Area guide · Kent
How to scrap a car in Kent
Kent is a large county of market towns, coastal resorts, commuter villages and farmland. Getting a car collected is just as straightforward in a Weald hamlet as it is in Maidstone, provided the driver knows the way in.
Most of Kent comes under Kent County Council, with twelve district and borough councils handling local matters such as parking. The Medway towns of Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester and Strood are the exception: Medway Council is a unitary authority and runs everything itself.
The county’s main roads point towards the Channel. The M20 and the A20 run to Folkestone and Dover, the M2 and A2 to Canterbury and the east coast, and the A21 cuts south through the Weald towards Hastings. Collection drivers work from those spines into the lanes.
Rural lanes and long drives
Many Kent villages sit on narrow lanes with passing places, and farmhouses can be at the end of long tracks. If your car is somewhere like that, mention the access when you book: the width of a gateway, a weight limit on a bridge or a soft verge can all affect which truck is sent.
When the motorways are busy
Cross-Channel traffic and the Operation Brock lorry-holding arrangements on the M20 can slow journeys across the county at busy times. That rarely affects whether a collection happens, but agreeing a time window rather than an exact time keeps everyone relaxed.
Reporting and paperwork
Abandoned cars are reported to the district or borough council, or to Medway Council in the Medway towns. Once your own car has gone, the DVLA notification is the same as anywhere in the country.
Kent at a glance
- Councils
- Kent County Council, Medway Council, Twelve district and borough councils
- Main roads
- M2, M20, M25, M26, A2, A20, A21, A249, A299 Thanet Way
- Clean air rules
- No clean air zone in Kent charges private cars.
- Postcode areas
- ME, CT, TN, DA, BR
Local guides
Towns and villages in Kent
Each local guide covers the council, the roads and anything particular about scrapping a car there.
Also covering
- Dover
- Margate
- Ramsgate
- Whitstable
- Herne Bay
- Deal
- Faversham
- Sittingbourne
- Tonbridge
- Swanley
- Edenbridge
- Cranbrook
Questions
Scrapping a car in Kent
Short, straight answers. The guides go into more depth.
Is collection really free in rural Kent?
Yes. Collection is free wherever the car is, including villages and farms. Clear directions are the only thing the driver needs.
My car is on a Medway street. Who do I contact about the parking permit?
Medway Council, since it is the unitary authority for Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester, Strood and Rainham.
Who tells the DVLA that the car has been scrapped?
You should. Use the DVLA's online service with the 11-digit reference from your logbook, or send the yellow section by post. Without that step the car stays linked to you, and the DVLA can fine you up to £1,000.
Does collection cost anything?
Nothing. The recovery truck comes free of charge, and turning the offer down costs nothing either.
Scrap your car in Kent
Start with the registration and postcode. A licensed buyer covering your area comes back with an offer, and collection is free.