Cash for junk cars in California
539 listed buyers across 234 cities. Tell us the car and your ZIP; we call you with one local offer. Free, no obligation.
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Who buys junk cars in California
Junk Cars Nation lists 771 junkyards, auto recyclers, scrap yards and junk car buyers in California, the 1st-most of the 50 states and DC. Of those, 399 junkyards, 201 auto recyclers and parts yards, 91 junk car buyers, 44 towing and pickup services, 31 scrap and recycling yards and 5 junk removal haulers (listings checked September 2026). The ones that buy whole cars are the junkyards, junk car buyers and tow operators; recyclers and scrap yards mostly sell parts or weigh in metal.
Every enquiry goes through our form. We call you first, tell you which buyer wants the car, and only share your details with that one buyer if you agree. How we make money.
Paperwork to sell a car in California
- Title: In a private sale, the seller (and the lienholder, if any) signs the title, and the buyer submits it to DMV.
- No title: A lost or damaged title is replaced or transferred with REG 227 (Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title).
- After the sale: Submit a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL, form REG 138) within 5 days of the sale (VC §5900).
- Plates: Plates generally stay with the vehicle.
Sell a junk car by city in California
Cities with the most listed buyers. Each links to the local page.
Before you take an offer
How much is my junk car worth? 
How junkyards price cars 
Junk car scams and how to avoid them 
How to prepare your car for the junkyard 
How to sell a car without a title 
Release of liability: how to tell the DMV you sold your car Questions people ask
- How do I sell a junk car in California?
- Enter the year, make, model, condition and your ZIP. We find one listed buyer near you in California and call you with their offer. You agree the price and pickup with that buyer; nobody else gets your number.
- Who buys junk cars in California?
- Junk Cars Nation lists 539 businesses in California that buy or tow junk cars: 399 junkyards, 91 junk car buyers, 44 towing and pickup services and 5 junk removal haulers. The rest are auto recyclers and scrap yards that mostly sell parts or take metal.
- Can I sell a junk car without a title in California?
- A lost or damaged title is replaced or transferred with REG 227 (Application for Replacement or Transfer of Title). The full California rules, with official sources, are on our title and DMV page.
- What do I do after I sell a car in California?
- Submit a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability (NRL, form REG 138) within 5 days of the sale (VC §5900). Plates generally stay with the vehicle.