How much is my scrap worth? The five things that set the number

There is no single price for scrap

There is no single price for scrap metal. There is a price for a particular metal, in a particular grade, in a particular quantity, delivered to a particular place, on a particular day. Change any one of those and the number changes.

That does not make scrap pricing mysterious. It means that five factors set the figure, and once you know them you can estimate a fair price for your own material, spot an offer that is out of line, and decide whether it is worth doing something to improve your result before you sell.

The five factors that set your price

How a buyer actually works out an offer

Behind most offers there is a simple calculation, and knowing it lets you test whether a number is reasonable.

A buyer starts from a reference price for the metal and grade, often tied to a benchmark such as an exchange price or a regional index. They apply a percentage or discount that reflects the grade of your material and the work needed to turn it into something they can sell. They then multiply by the net weight, which is the gross weight on the weighbridge minus the weight of the vehicle or container and any deduction for contamination. Finally, they subtract their own costs, such as transport, handling and a margin.

In shorthand: net weight x reference price x grade adjustment, less the buyer's costs and margin. You can run the same arithmetic yourself with a live price and an honest estimate of your grade. If the buyer's number is far below what you get, ask them to explain each step. A reasonable buyer can. For a longer walk-through of that calculation and how to use it in a negotiation, see know your scrap value first and how to negotiate a better scrap metal price.

A worked example

These numbers are invented to show the arithmetic. They are not a quote, and real rates change every day.

Change one input and see the effect. If the paint were removed and the buyer paid the full reference rate, the same load would be worth 500.00, which is a gain of fifty for twenty minutes of work. If some of the extrusion still had steel bolts attached and the buyer paid 75 percent, it would be worth 375.00. The metal never changed, only the preparation did.

A special case: scrap cars

A scrap car is priced differently from raw metal because it is a bundle of materials, and some of the parts matter more than the body.

• Weight. A car's base value tracks its weight in steel, with smaller amounts of aluminium, copper and other metals. A heavier car is worth more.
• The catalytic converter. This part contains small amounts of platinum group metals and can be worth more than a large share of the body. Its presence, or absence, moves the price significantly. Because of that value, converters are a frequent target for theft, which is why many regions now restrict how they can be sold. See Scrap Metal Theft in 2026.
• Battery, wheels and engine. A working battery, alloy wheels and an intact engine and transmission add value beyond the steel body.
• Completeness. A complete vehicle is worth more than the same car with parts missing, and the gap between a stripped shell and an intact car is often larger than people expect.
• Paperwork. Many yards ask for identification and proof of ownership before buying a vehicle, and rules differ by country and by state, so check what applies where you are.

Why two price lists disagree

This is also why the number a yard offers you is almost always below the headline benchmark. The benchmark is a reference for a clean, large, delivered lot of a specific grade. Your lot is smaller and lower grade, and has to be collected and processed. The yard needs a margin to cover those costs, and a seller who understands that can argue for a fair share of it, not for the whole benchmark.

Is there a best time to sell?

Prices follow global supply and demand rather than a fixed seasonal pattern, so there is no reliable best month. Construction activity, manufacturing demand, currency movements and trade policy all feed in, and any of them can move prices within weeks. Checking a live reference before you sell matters far more than guessing at timing. If prices are rising and you are not under pressure, you can reasonably wait a few days. If you need the space or the cash, a decent price today beats a better one that might never come.

One practical technique is to sell in the format that suits your situation. A fixed-price listing gives you a fast sale at a price you set. An auction lets buyers compete when you think demand is strong, and a Wanted Board request can turn up a buyer who already needs exactly what you have. Fixed Price vs Auction vs Wanted Board explains how to choose.

Frequently asked questions