• Vehicle owner volunteers to sell for a price agreed on by seller and scrapper

• Continuously registered with the DMV to an address within the South Coast AQMD as an operable vehicle for at least 24 months prior to final sale

• Vehicle must be evaluated to have 3 remaining years of useful life

• Vehicle must be driven to buyback location under own power

• Equipment requirements:

  • Vehicle must start using keyed ignition system

  • Vehicle shall be driven forward and in reverse for 25 feet under its own power

  • All doors are present and in place

  • The hood is in place

  • The dashboard is in place

  • The windshield is in place

  • The driver’s seat is in place

  • Interior pedals controlling the brake, clutch, and accelerator, are operational

  • One bumper and all side and/or quarter panels are present and in place

  • Vehicle drivability is not affected by any body, steering, or suspension damage

  • Exhaust system is present and in place

  • One headlight, one taillight, and one brake light are present and in place

  • One side window glass is present and in place

  • Complies with smog check requirements

  • No starting fluid aids- no gasoline down the carburetor to start the vehicle

Still not sure? Contact your nearest licensed scrapper. Click on the Licensed Scrapper tab above for the current list.

Who can scrap your old-vehicle?

Note: The Licensed Scrappers are listed alphabetically. Listing of a Licensed Scrapper here does not constitute an endorsement, warranty or guarantee by the South Coast AQMD.

AQMS-Automotive, LLC

2001 S. Barrington Avenue, Suite 319
Los Angeles, CA 90025

Pick Your Part Auto Wrecking
1360 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92805

Frequently Asked Questions

I think my car meets the qualification, what do I do now?

How much will I get for my car?

How old does my car have to be in order to participate?

My car is old and polluting, why does it have to meet the Rule 1610 criteria?

Why does my car need to be registered for 2 years to be accepted?

Why was my car rejected for excessive smoking or dripping liquids when it does not state either as a reason for rejection in the rule?

Why is a Power of Attorney required if I am turning in a relative's vehicle?

Why did I get disqualified for working on my car before pulling up to the inspection area?

Why did my vehicle get disqualified for jump starting my car before the inspection?

Why do I have to add 50 miles if I am disqualified?


I think my car meets the qualifications, what do I do now?
Contact one of the licensed scrappers (click on the above tab for the current list) to see if they will purchase your vehicle and for additional information on the buyback times and locations, as well as the paperwork that they require.
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How much will I get for my car?
The scrapper sets the prices for the vehicle based on the model year. The price is driven by the amount of Mobile Source Emission Reduction Credits (MSERC) the scrapper can get for a particular vehicle and is based on the model year.
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How old does my car have to be to participate?
The scrapper will determine if they will accept a vehicle and how much they will pay for the vehicle. The value of the vehicle is directly proportional to the level of pollution it generates; therefore, the older the vehicle the higher the dollar value it can command.  In general, vehicles will be accepted up to the model year 1993 but likely only a few hundred dollars will be offered for the newer vehicles.
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My car is old and polluting, why does it have to meet the Rule 1610 criteria?
Rule 1610  not only encourages vehicle retirement, but also generates Mobile Source Emission Reduction Credits (MSERC) for each vehicle that is scrapped. Those credits can then be purchased by companies to mitigate the impact of employee commutes. In order to justify generating those credits, South Coast AQMD must ensure that the program is generating real quantifiable emission reductions.
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Why does my car need to be registered for 2 years to be accepted?
Since this program generates credits, it is important that inspectors establish that the vehicles being scrapped are currently being driven on roads within the South Coast AQMD. In order to establish this, vehicles must be registered for 24 months prior to scrapping.
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Why was my car rejected for excessive smoking or dripping liquids when it does not state either as a reason for rejection in the rule?
The rule does not specifically refer to smoking vehicles or vehicles that are leaking fluids. However, inspectors must use reasonable judgment when evaluating a vehicle. If a vehicle is excessively smoking or leaking liquids, it will be rejected on the basis that it does not have three years of useful life left. Mobile Source Emission Reduction Credits (MSERC) are generated based on a three year useful life for the vehicles being accepted into the program.
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Why is a Power of Attorney required if I am turning in a relative's vehicle?
The power of attorney requirement in the rule is to prevent fraud. It would be a liability for a scrapper to accept a vehicle that was not turned in from the actual owner or someone who has power of attorney for the owner.
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Why did I get disqualified for working on my car before pulling up to the inspection area?
The Rule 1610 Old-Vehicle Scrapping program is designed to retire vehicles that are currently being driven on our local roadways. Many requirements are put into Rule 1610 to ensure the vehicles being retired are reliable, with three years remaining useful life. If the vehicle needs to be worked on prior to the inspection in order to pass the relatively simple requirements, then this is not the type of vehicle this program is targeting.
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Why did my vehicle get disqualified for jump starting my car before the inspection?
As stated above, the Rule 1610 Old-Vehicle Scrapping program is designed to retire vehicles that are currently being driven on our local roadways. A vehicle requiring a jump start is not likely to being driven on our roads on a daily basis. Many requirements are put into Rule 1610 to ensure the vehicles being retired are reliable, with three years remaining useful life. If the vehicle needs a jump in order to start, then this is not the type of vehicle this program is targeting.
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Why do I have to add 50 miles if I am disqualified?
The 50 miles requirement is to ensure that the deficiency that caused the vehicle to be disqualified was properly corrected. In order to prove that, Rule 1610 requires vehicles to be driven 50 miles after the correcting any functional eligibility requirements. 
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Vehicle Scrapping Programs for California Residents

The following information is for programs outside of the SCAQMD's jurisdiction. This information is provided for information only, the SCAQMD is not affiliated with the following programs.

Regional Programs:

Voluntary Accelerated Vehicle Retirement Program (VAVR)

"Voluntary accelerated vehicle retirement (VAVR) programs, sometimes referred to as scrap or vehicle buy back programs, pay owners of eligible vehicles to voluntarily retire their older, high emitting vehicles. The primary goal of vehicle retirement programs is to reduce ozone-forming emissions by accelerating normal fleet turnover so that newer, cleaner vehicles can be put into use sooner than what would occur naturally. VAVR programs are one of the many components of the State Implementation Plan (SIP), California's comprehensive strategy to achieve the federal ozone standard throughout the state."

To find the VAVR program nearest you, click here.

Statewide Programs:

Bureau of Automotive Repair: Consumer Assistance Program (CAP):
The Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) provides financial assistance for qualified consumers whose vehicles fail their biennial (every-other-year) Smog Check. The statutory authority for CAP is found in the Health and Safety Code and is implemented through regulations adopted by the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR). Participation in CAP is limited to available funds.

ARB’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP):

For information on the CVRP program, click here.