To junk a car in Georgia, the paperwork most buyers expect is the title signed over properly, a photo ID, and, afterward, a registration cancellation on your side. If you have no title, the answer depends on the car’s age and on whether the buyer will take it, so the first step is figuring out which group your car falls into.

Rules for title and scrap come from the Georgia Department of Revenue. This page reports what its pages say, and a buyer may ask for more than the state does.

What the buyer will usually ask for

  • The original title, with the assignment section on the back completed and signed. Georgia says the seller transfers ownership by completing that assignment.
  • Your driver’s license or ID, because the buyer has to know who is signing.
  • A lien release, if the title shows a loan that was paid off. Any lien still recorded has to be cleared.
  • A bill of sale, which is not always required but is smart to keep.

Keep your own copy of everything, front and back, before you hand the title over.

Never sign a blank title

Georgia law treats this seriously. Under O.C.G.A. 40-3-91(c), delivering or accepting a title assigned in blank is a misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $100 or up to 30 days in jail for each title. Fill in the buyer’s name before you sign, and do not hand over a title the buyer wants to complete later. The state’s seller and buyer responsibilities page explains this.

Cancel your registration, and in the right order

After the sale, you also need to cancel the registration. You can do it online with DRIVES e-Services, or by filing Form MV-18J at the county tag office where you live. The Department of Revenue says to cancel registration before you cancel insurance, to avoid fines and penalties, because driving or allowing someone to drive with a canceled registration or without insurance is illegal. Details are on its registration cancellation page.

If you do not have the title

You have a few paths.

Replace it. The county tag office can issue a replacement for a lost or stolen title. You need a signed MV-1 application and an $8.00 replacement fee. If a paid-off loan still shows on the record, you need the lender’s release form. A replacement cannot be issued in a deceased person’s name. The details are on the state’s replacement title page.

Check the car’s age. Georgia does not require a title for 1962 or older year models, and a title is optional for 1963 to 1985 models. The state’s casual-sale page says to provide a bill of sale when the vehicle is 1985 or older and does not need a title. Even then, a scrap buyer may have its own policy, so ask before you schedule a pickup. The state explains this on the title not required page.

Ask about the buyer’s process. Salvage dealers, parts dealers and scrap processors report title cancellation information to the state through Auto Data Direct. A buyer who cannot document how the car came to them may decline it.

We could not confirm from state sources a general rule that a scrap yard may buy any car without a title, so do not assume one. Ask the buyer what they accept for your model year.

Cars with other problems

  • Expired registration. Georgia does not list expired tags as a bar to selling for scrap in what we read, but a buyer may ask for the title and your ID regardless. See junking a car with expired registration.
  • Salvage or total-loss history. Salvage vehicles cannot be operated on public roads in Georgia, and an insurer that has paid a total loss claim may be involved in the title paperwork.
  • Scrapped by the owner. The Department of Revenue says the registered owner of a vehicle that has been scrapped, dismantled or demolished must submit the original title and a signed statement with the year, make, VIN and title number to the MVD Salvage Unit, plus a plate surrender form if the plate is still on the car. The title is then canceled. Read more on the scrapped vehicle page.

Getting the car out of the yard

Many junk cars do not run. Ask the buyer whether pickup is included. If it is not, a flatbed or wheel-lift operator can move it, and our guides on flatbed towing and junk car removal explain how that works. For the larger picture, see how to junk a car in Georgia.

Frequently asked questions

Can I junk a car in Georgia without a title?

Sometimes. Older cars have different rules: no title is required for 1962 and older models, and 1963 to 1985 titles are optional. Newer cars generally need a title or a replacement.

Do I need to cancel my registration after junking?

Yes. The state says a seller must transfer ownership and cancel registration. Cancel before you end your insurance.

What does a replacement title cost?

The Department of Revenue lists $8.00 for a replacement title at the county tag office.

Should I leave the license plate on the car?

The state’s scrapped-vehicle process asks for a plate surrender form if the plate remains on the vehicle. Ask your county tag office what to do with the tag.

If you need a tow or roadside call in metro Atlanta, the line at (858) 925-5546 takes calls 24/7.