How To Junk a Car in Minnesota

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Need to junk a car in the Land of 10,000 Lakes? No problem! If you follow these guidelines and tips, you’ll be able to junk your car with little to no hassles. Here’s what you need to know.

Preparing to Junk Your Car in Minnesota

Before handing your car over to a junkyard or scrap yard, you must be prepared to junk your car. You will need your car’s title and the registration card. If you no longer have the car’s title, you can apply for an Application for Duplicate Title, Registration, Cab, or Lien Card (Form PS2067A). You don’t necessarily need the car’s keys to junk the car, but it would be helpful. Once you have these documents, you can proceed to the next step.

Junk Car Removal Companies That Buy Junk Cars in Minnesota

Junk Car Removal Service Locations In Minnesota

Make money for your old car in Minnesota, including the following areas, by having it towed away at no cost to you.

  • Minneapolis, MN
  • St. Paul, MN
  • Rochester, MN
  • Bloomington, MN
  • Duluth, MN
  • Brooklyn Park, MN
  • Plymouth, MN
  • Woodbury, MN
  • Maple Grove, MN
  • Lakeville, MN

How Much You Can Make Selling Your Junk Car In Minnesota

The better the condition of your unwanted vehicle the more will make when you sell it to a junkyard or a junk removal company in Minnesota.

The below table of make & models will give you an idea of how much your junk car may be worth.

MakeModelYearCitySold For
JeepGrand Cherokee2001Minneapolis, MN $                  185
HondaAccord1995St. Paul, MN $                  375
HondaPilot2009Rochester, MN $               1,135
ToyotaCorolla2006Bloomington, MN $                  990
FordEconoline2006Duluth, MN $                  935
VolvoXC902008Brooklyn Park, MN $                  685
ChryslerSebring2007Plymouth, MN $                  475
FordFocus2009Woodbury, MN $                  175
DodgeDakota2006Maple Grove, MN $                  635
ChevroletSuburban2005Lakeville, MN $                  335

How Do I Sell My Car to a Junkyard in Minnesota?

Before you can get your hands on some extra cash, you need to find a local junkyard. It’s as simple as hopping on your laptop, phone, or another electronic device with an active internet connection, and typing the phrase “junkyards near me”. Hit the “enter” button and you’ll have a list of junkyards in your area.

Choose at least two junkyards in case the first one doesn’t work out for whatever reason. Check out the junkyard’s website to get a feel for how they do business. You will also want to become familiar with their terms and conditions and junking criteria. All junkyards will not have the same junking requirements, so make sure you have everything you need.

If everything seems okay, continue the junk car process by answering questions about yourself and your car. Junkyards won’t give you a hassle about any damages your car has. They want to know about the amount of damage your car has, so they can provide you with an accurate quote. You must provide the car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) and the make, model, and year of the car. Junkyards also want to know a little about you, such as your name, physical mailing address, and phone number. You may also be asked to provide your email address, especially if you’re completing this process online.

After completing the questionnaire, you’ll be provided with a quote based on your provided information. If you accept the quote, you are also accepting the junkyard’s terms and conditions. However, if you decline the quote, you are not bound to any terms or agreements and are free to choose a different junkyard.

Why Do I Need the Car’s VIN to Junk My Car?

The car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) is essential because it helps junkyard and scrap yard owners correctly identify your car. The VIN can also help with verifying mileage information, checking ownership history, and checking past damage the vehicle sustained. The bottom line is the car’s VIN is a way for junkyards to verify the information you provided about the car you’re junking.

Do You Need a Vehicle Title to Junk a Car in Minnesota?

You may not need the car’s title to junk it in Minnesota if you have another type of ownership document, such as the registration card. However, if you have misplaced or lost the car’s title, you can apply for an Application for Duplicate Title, Registration, Cab, or Lien Card (Form PS2067A). To receive the car’s duplicate title, you must sign the form, and provide your driver’s license number, license plate number, and the make and model of the car. You will also need to pay the $7.25 duplicate title fee plus the $11 filing fee.

How Much Does It Cost to Junk a Car in Minnesota?

The cost you’ll pay to junk your car in the state of Minnesota depends on if you’re towing the car using your roadside assistance membership, such as AAA, or you’re having the junkyard tow your car. Some junkyards don’t charge a towing fee, but some junkyards do. You might try and cut corners to save a few dollars by driving the car to the junkyard yourself, but we don’t advise that.

It’s illegal to operate a junk car on the roads and highways of Minnesota, so you have no choice but to have your car towed. If you’re caught driving the car, you will be forced to pay different fees and fines, and no one wants that. In addition to this, junk cars can’t be sold for use in Minnesota.

What is a Junk Title in Minnesota?

The state of Minnesota considers cars that have sustained extensive damage to the point they are no longer safe to operate on the roads and highways junk cars, and junk titles are given to these cars. In MN, cars that have a junk title can’t be registered for road use and can’t be sold for use.

Is a Junk Car Title the Same as a Salvage Title?

No. People often confuse junk car titles with salvage titles. Junk car titles are given to cars that are no longer safe to drive on the roads and highways. Salvage car titles, however, are given to cars that can be rebuilt/repaired to the state’s standards to be deemed safe to drive on the roads and highways. If you repair a car that has a salvage title, you can apply for a rebuilt car title.

Be advised that the car must pass specific tests to be deemed safe to drive. To obtain a Minnesota salvage car title, you need to complete an Application to Title/Register a Vehicle (Form PS2000) and submit your current car title to the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (MN DVS) and pay all applicable fees, such as the $10 filing fee and the standard title fee of $8.25. There may be additional charges you are responsible for paying.

Can You Junk a Car With an Expired Registration in Minnesota?

You can junk a car that has an expired registration in Minnesota. However, if your car has been broken down for a while, and you’re going to junk the car, you are not obligated to register the car in Minnesota. Keep in mind that car registrations are for vehicles that are being driven.

How Do I Get a Junk Vehicle Title in Minnesota?

Many junkyards in Minnesota allow you to complete a form on their website to obtain a junk car title. You will need to provide the following information:

  • The VIN (vehicle identification number)
  • Your address for the junk vehicle title (if applicable)
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Photo of your vehicle (optional in some New Hampshire cities)
  • Photo of the vehicle’s VIN
  • Certificate of Destruction

You can also complete an Application to Title/Register a Vehicle (Form PS2000) and disclose that your car has sustained damages that exceeds at least 80% of its actual cash value in Section C, next to the odometer disclosure statement on the car title.

You may be asked to provide more or fewer documents depending on the city in Minnesota you reside.

What Paperwork Do I Need to Scrap a Car in Minnesota?

So, you’ve finally decided to scrap your car. Here’s the paperwork you need to complete or submit:

  • The Minneota Certificate of Title (properly endorsed for transfer)
  • Lien sale documents (properly executed for registration and transfer)
  • A salvage certificate (properly endorsed for transfer)

If you no longer have the car’s registration card, you must provide a bill of sale. The vehicle’s bill of sale may be able to be used instead of the vehicle title signatures.

Can You Sell a Car With a Salvage Vehicle Title in Minnesota?

Yes, you can sell a car with a salvage title as long as you disclose all the damages the car has sustained to the buyer. As the car’s owner, you are responsible for preparing the car to be sold and providing the proper paperwork, such as the car’s salvage title. You and the car’s new owner must sign the car title. You can also sell the car as is, as long as the buyer is aware you are not making any repairs, which would be the ideal situation for mechanics who are looking for a side project.

How Do I Get Rid of a Car I Don’t Want?

If your car is a junk vehicle, you can sell it to a junkyard or a scrapyard. If your vehicle is still in operational order, you can still choose to sell it to a junkyard or an individual, as a private sale.

Just so we’re clear, abandoning your car is not the solution in any situation.  You could face multiple penalties and fees that can be avoided.

What Happens to Abandoned Cars in Minnesota?

In the state of Minnesota, an abandoned car is a motor vehicle as described in Section 169.011, that is illegally parked for more than 48 hours on a property that is owned or controlled by a government unit. You can learn more about abandoned vehicles in Minnesota here.

Abandoned cars in Minnesota can be towed after some time, usually 48-72 hours. The car will be impounded, and the vehicle’s owner can be fined up to a maximum of $100. The car’s owner will pay the towing and impound fees.

Does the MN DVS Buy Old Cars?

The Minnesota DVS doesn’t buy old cars, but there’s different avenues you can explore. If your car still functions, but needs a few repairs, there are people who are willing to buy it as-is and make the necessary repairs. If your car has extensive damage and doesn’t run, you may be better off junking it.

Can I Scrap My Car Without a Registration Document?

A registration card can be used as proof of ownership of the car. However, since the car is a junk car, an expired registration won’t be a problem because junk cars can’t legally be driven. Since the car can’t legally be driven, if your car’s registration is expired or you have lost the registration, you can provide the car’s title instead.

Can I Scrap a Car That Is Not Registered In My Name?

You must be the legal owner of the car to junk it. If the car is not registered in your name, you can’t prove you are the legal owner. Without proof that you are the legal owner of the car, you can’t junk the car. Only the legal owner of the car can decide what to do with the car, such as junking it. Providing a bill of sale or proof of a valid auto insurance policy is not valid to show proof of ownership of a car.

All junkyards require proof of ownership documentation because they are responsible for notifying the state of Minnesota when they junk a vehicle. Junkyards will also require information regarding the person that is junking the car to report to the state.

Can I Scrap a Car Without a Vehicle Title?

Yes. You can scrap a car without the car’s title, but you will need at least one type of proof of ownership document. You can also request a duplicate Minnesota car title by completing an Application for Duplicate Title, Registration, Cab or Lien Card (Form PS2067A) and submit it to your local MN DVS branch.

Sell your junk car for cash in Minnesota.

What Do You Need to Junk a Car in MN?

As you’re probably aware, states have specific requirements for titling and registering junk cars. When you’re ready to junk your car in Minnesota, you may be required to complete some or all of the following steps:

  • Complete the required junk or salvage car paperwork, also referred to as the Damage Disclosure Statement (DDS)(often located on the reverse side of the car title form). If the DDS is not printed on the reverse side of the car’s title, the MN DVS can provide the required form(s).
  • Present the car’s title and proof of registration (some MN junkyards may require the registration if you have misplaced the car’s title)
  • Surrender the junk car’s license plates

You may also need to pay additional fees if the vehicle is not currently registered or designated for a planned non-operation status, which means you have notified the MN DVS that your car is a junk car. You can contact your local MN DVS branch for more information.

Which Cars Do Not Require a Vehicle Title in MN?

Most vehicles in Minnesota are required to have a title. However, there are certain types of vehicles that do not require a vehicle title, such as:

  • Vehicles owned by the United States government, unless they are registered in this state
  • Vehicles used by a manufacturer solely for testing
  • A vehicle owned by a non-resident, not required by law to be registered in this state
  • A vehicle regularly engaged in the interstate transportation of persons or property for which a currently effective Certificate of Title has been issued in another state
  • A vehicle that is moved solely by animal power
  • An implement of husbandry
  • Special mobile equipment, as defined by Minnesota statutes
  • A self-propelled wheel chair or invalid tricycle
  • A trailer having a gross weight of 4,000 pounds or less
  • A trailer designed primarily for agricultural purposes with a gross weight of less than 10,000 pounds
  • ATV’s, snowmobiles, and off-road vehicles, as defined in Minnesota statutes

  • Utility, boat, or snowmobile trailers with a gross vehicle weight of less than 4,500 pounds, unless there is a lien. The Minnesota registration card is acceptable proof of ownership in these cases.
  • Clearly marked municipal fire apparatus, police patrol cars, ambulances and ambulances owned by ambulance services licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144.802.

How Do You Junk a Car in Minnesota?

To junk your car in Minnesota, you’ll need to find a local junkyard and provide specific details about your car, such as its make, model, year, color, and VIN. Once you’ve answered the necessary questions, you will be provided with a quote, which you must accept before you can continue with the junk car process. After you accept the offer, you must schedule a pickup time and date, and collect your cash!

Current Scrap Metal Prices in MN?

Minnesota’s current scrap metal prices probably weren’t on a need-to-know basis until now. Knowing the current scrap prices can help you estimate how much your car is worth. The current scrap metal prices in Minnesota are as follows:

MetalPrice Per Pound
Aluminum$1.07
Aluminum Alloy$0.96
Copper$3.80
Brass$2.98
Lead$1.06
Nickel$13.79
Tin$11.23
Zinc$1.37
Steel Scrap$0.18
Steel Rebar$0.30

Minnesota Junkyard Locations

There are multiple junkyards located throughout the state of Minnesota. We created a list of MN junkyards. Check out our list and see if you can find a junkyard near you.

Apex Auto Salvage
198 Minnehaha Salvage
Saint Paul, MN 55130
(651) 228-1389
Monday – Thursday (8 AM – 5 PM)
Friday (8 AM – 3 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)

U Pull R Parts
2985 160th St W
Rosemount, MN 55068
(651) 322-1800
Monday – Friday (9 AM – 5 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)

Ace Auto Parts
754 Rice Street
Saint Paul, MN 55117
(651) 717-4299
Monday – Friday (8 AM – 5:30 PM)
Saturday (8 AM – 1 PM)
Sunday (Closed)

Action Auto Parts
106 Arlington Ave. E
Saint Paul, MN 55117
(651) 674-3946
Monday – Friday (8 AM – 5 PM)
Saturday and Sunday (Closed)

Congratulations! You have the information you need to junk your car in Minnesota. Happy Junking!

Popular Places in Minnesota to Junk Your Car