The difference between a salvage title and a junk certificate is as follows:
- Salvage titles mean a vehicle was damaged and declared a total loss by insurance, but can be repaired and returned to the road. It requires a rebuilt title but will retain the VIN and have resale value.
- Junk certificates mean a vehicle is permanently retired and can never be registered or returned to the road again. The VIN will be retired, and the only resale value will be in parts and scrap metal.
If you sell a vehicle with a junk certificate to a junk car buyer, they will need to obtain that certificate to legally process and scrap the vehicle. They will retire the VIN so it can never legally be rebuilt or sold.
If your vehicle has a salvage title, you want to also look into selling to a rebuilder. You could get more than from a junk car buyer. It's worth comparing the quotes.
