Non-repairable certificate

A non-repairable certificate, sometimes called a nonrepairable title, is issued when a vehicle is so badly damaged that the state will not allow it to be rebuilt. Unlike a salvage title, there is no path back to a rebuilt title. The car’s remaining value is in its parts and metal.

For a seller, this brand means the realistic buyers are junkyards, parts recyclers and scrap processors, not rebuilders. Some states, such as Pennsylvania, handle salvage and nonrepairable vehicles on the same application, and the damage thresholds differ by state.

Pennsylvania’s application form states that when a nonrepairable certificate is issued, the vehicle may only be used as a source for parts or scrap and may not be issued a certificate of title or a salvage certificate.¹