Expect somewhere between $215 and $1,000 for a junk car in Georgia. Scrap rates here sit slightly under the national mark, so the parts still bolted to your car matter more than the metal underneath them.
Georgia yards buy scrap steel at roughly $158 to $168 per gross ton. The national complete-car index was around $168 per ton in August 2026, which puts Georgia at or just below average, since the state sits further from the northern mills that drive the top rates.
Work out the metal portion yourself before anyone quotes you. Curb weight is printed on the driver’s door sticker. Take off about 500 lbs for tires and fluids the yard has to dispose of, divide the rest by 2,000, then multiply by the rate. A 3,000 lb Accord comes to around $210 in steel alone.
Almost every offer above that figure is paying for components rather than tonnage. Converters, engines, gearboxes and clean panels get shelved and resold, and how badly Georgia buyers want yours decides the rest.
| Example vehicle | Steel floor | Typical Georgia range |
|---|---|---|
| Compact that won't start, clean title | $160 to $210 | $215 to $575 |
| Midsize sedan that runs, clean title | $215 to $260 | $250 to $900 |
| Full-size truck, van or SUV that runs | $315 to $460 | $400 to $1,000 |
Recorded sales around Atlanta follow that shape. A 1994 Camry in Dunwoody reached $900, a 1988 Lincoln Continental in Alpharetta started at $515, and a 1994 Miata in Dunwoody bottomed out near $215. Weight explains part of it, parts demand explains the rest.
Drop your details into the car scrap value calculator to see how your own figure breaks down.
Metro Atlanta is where the money is. Dunwoody, Smyrna, Alpharetta, Roswell and the DeKalb corridor all host active buyers, and recorded transactions cluster in exactly those suburbs. Augusta, Columbus, Savannah, Macon and Athens support their own yards, though with fewer bidders per vehicle.
Outside those hubs the picture changes. South and middle Georgia have long distances between processors, and every extra mile of tow gets absorbed somewhere in the number you are quoted.
Around 11 million residents keeps demand for used parts steady statewide. Worth remembering that a shredder operation and a self-service parts yard value your car on different terms, so one call to each beats several calls to the same type.
Georgia tip: the tag comes off before the car does. Plates belong to you, not the vehicle, so remove yours and keep it.
Sign the title over to the buyer if you have it. Where the title is missing, requirements vary by vehicle age and situation, so check with the Georgia Department of Revenue or your county tag office rather than assuming the sale cannot go ahead.
The step people miss comes after the car has gone. Cancel the vehicle registration first, then cancel the insurance, in that order. Georgia advises that sequence specifically to avoid penalties, and doing it backwards is how sellers end up paying fees on a car they no longer own.
Most land between $215 and $1,000. Small and non-running sits at the bottom, heavy and complete at the top.
About $158 to $168 per gross ton in 2026, roughly $8 per 100 lbs. Yards quote independently, so collect two or three before deciding.
Generally yes. More buyers competing in the metro and shorter hauls to processors both lift the number on the same vehicle.
Registration first, then insurance. Georgia recommends that order to keep you clear of penalties.
It stays with you. Take it off before the tow driver arrives.
Yes, though your options narrow. Check current requirements with your county tag office before you accept a reduced offer.
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Home / Junk car value by state / Georgia
