A junk car in Florida typically brings $200 to $800. Two things swing that number more here than almost anywhere else: whether the catalytic converter is still bolted on, and whether the car has been through water.
Florida sits in the South, where scrap steel currently trades around $158 to $168 per gross ton. That is slightly below the national mark near $168, so Florida sellers start a little behind states like Michigan or California.
The weight calculation is simple enough to do at the kitchen table. Find curb weight on the door jamb label, deduct roughly 500 lbs that yards write off for tires and fluids, convert to tons, then apply the rate. A 3,500 lb Accord lands around $250 in bare steel.
Steel is only half the picture on an intact vehicle. Dismantlers strip the converter, drivetrain, panels and glass for resale first, and those recovered parts are what push an offer past the weight figure.
| Example vehicle | Steel floor | Typical Florida range |
|---|---|---|
| Compact that won't start, clean title | $160 to $210 | $200 to $450 |
| Midsize sedan that runs, clean title | $215 to $260 | $300 to $650 |
| Full-size truck or SUV that runs | $315 to $460 | $500 to $800 |
Recorded sales back the top band up. A 1996 Tahoe in Palm Bay changed hands between $525 and $795, and a 1987 Camaro in Lakeland went for $500 to $695. Older body-on-frame vehicles hold their value here because their parts keep circulating.
For a figure built around your specific car, the car scrap value calculator shows the breakdown line by line.
Converter theft hits Florida hard, and a missing cat is the sharpest single drop in any offer. The unit holds platinum, palladium and rhodium, which is precisely why thieves cut them. Aftermarket replacements fetch a fraction of what a factory-fitted unit does, so a car with a replacement cat prices lower than an untouched one.
Storm-damaged vehicles still have a market. Water damage does not void an offer, though it does move the number, because electronics and interior components lose most of their resale value while the engine block, panels and glass keep theirs. Say upfront that the car was flooded, since buyers spot the corrosion immediately and adjust anyway.
Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando carry the most buyer competition, with West Palm Beach, St Petersburg and Fort Myers close behind. Around 23 million residents keeps the used-parts trade busy year round, and recorded transactions cluster in Hollywood, Lakeland and Palm Bay.
Rural stretches of the Panhandle and the interior counties run quieter. Fewer dismantlers bidding and a longer tow to a processor both trim the figure, whether or not the buyer itemises it.
Who you call changes the answer as much as where you live. A scrap yard prices your car as raw tonnage. A self-service parts yard prices the resaleable components on top of that tonnage, and usually lands higher on a complete vehicle. Ring one of each before deciding.
Florida tip: the plate does not go with the car. Surrender it to a county tax collector office, a licence plate agency, or a driver licence office rather than leaving it attached.
Most sales need the title, though Florida is more flexible than many states. Alternative documentation is accepted in defined circumstances, generally a current registration alongside photo ID matching the registered owner. Verify what applies to your situation with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles before pickup day.
If the title has gone missing, request a replacement from FLHSMV first. The fee is modest against the difference a clear title makes, since it lets a buyer resell the vehicle rather than being restricted to scrapping it.
Most fall between $200 and $800. Weight sets the bottom, and an intact converter with a working drivetrain sets the top.
Roughly $158 to $168 per gross ton in 2026, which converts to about $8 per 100 lbs. Individual yards often quote under that, so gather two or three numbers.
Yes, but noticeably less. Mention it when you request quotes, because a buyer who discovers it at pickup will reprice on the spot.
Yes. Florida buyers handle water-damaged vehicles routinely, and the engine, panels and glass still carry parts value even when the electronics are ruined.
Usually, though Florida permits alternative paperwork in certain cases. Confirm your situation with FLHSMV before assuming you are stuck.
Take it off and hand it in at a tax collector office or licence plate agency. Leaving it on the vehicle is not the correct process here.
Get an estimate in 2 minutes. Any car, running or not, with the math shown.
No phone number needed.
Home / Junk car value by state / Florida
