Cat S vs Cat N

Cat S means the insurer recorded structural damage, and Cat N means the damage was recorded as non-structural; both can return to the road if repaired, while Cat A and Cat B should not.

By the MotorMkt teamPublished Last updated

How we source our data: our free checks use official records from the DVLA (registration & tax) and DVSA (MOT history). Paid full history data — finance, stolen and write-off markers — is supplied by UK Vehicle Data (UKVD), which aggregates industry registers including MIAFTR (insurance write-offs) and the Police National Computer (stolen markers). MotorMkt does not query those registers directly.

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The full report is optional. Review the free official record first if you are unsure. Payment is completed securely on the next screen.

Short definitions
  • Cat S (structural): the insurer decided the car had structural damage. It can be repaired and returned to the road, but the structure was involved.
  • Cat N (non-structural): the insurer decided the damage was non-structural. That can mean bumpers, lights or mirrors. It can also mean airbags, wiring or water ingress. It does not mean the car was barely touched.

Categories A and B are different. A Cat A vehicle must be crushed. A Cat B body shell must be crushed, though some parts may be salvaged. Neither should be back on the road as a complete car. If a seller is offering an A or a B as a daily driver, walk away.

The full A/B/S/N glossary, including the pre-October 2017 Cat C and Cat D names, is on the write-off categories guide. This page is the buying decision for S and N.

Cat S vs Cat N at a glance
Cat SCat N
Insurer's decisionStructural damageNon-structural damage
Can it be used?Yes, if repaired properlyYes, if repaired properly
Typical buyer riskThe quality of a structural repairElectrical, cosmetic or safety-kit repairs done cheaply
Insurance and resaleOften harder to insure and harder to sell than a clean carStill a disclosed history; often easier than S, not clean
Price vs a clean carShould be meaningfully cheaperShould still be discounted

Neither category means the car is automatically unsafe today, or automatically fine. The category describes what the insurer decided when the claim was settled, not the repair in front of you. Definitions follow the ABI salvage code, the same source as the categories guide.

Should you buy a Cat S?

Only if all of these are true:

  1. The price is clearly below a comparable car with no write-off marker — enough to cover repair uncertainty and a harder resale.
  2. You can see evidence of a proper structural repair: invoices, photos, an engineer's report. A respray on its own is not that evidence.
  3. A trusted independent inspection has looked at alignment, panel work and safety systems.
  4. Your insurer will cover it, at a premium you accept, before you buy.

If the seller cannot explain the damage, do not buy.

Should you buy a Cat N?

Cat N is often described as nothing serious. Sometimes that is true. Sometimes the claim was airbags, a wiring loom or water ingress — expensive, safety-critical, and easy to hide under new bumpers.

Buy a Cat N only if:

  1. You know what was damaged and how it was fixed.
  2. Electronics, lights and safety kit work on a thorough test.
  3. The discount against a clean example still makes sense after inspection costs.
How to check before you view
  1. Run a free vehicle brief on MotorMkt with the registration. That is MOT history and the DVLA vehicle record.
  2. Unlock a Full History Check on the same report to see whether a write-off marker is recorded. Write-off data originates with the MIAFTR insurance database and is supplied under licence. MotorMkt has no direct feed to insurers.
  3. If a marker appears, ask for the repair file before you travel.
  4. Get an independent inspection aimed at the kind of damage the category implies.

A clear result means no marker was returned for that registration. It does not mean the car was never repaired privately, outside an insurance claim.

Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Cat S and Cat N?
Cat S means the insurer recorded structural damage. Cat N means the damage was recorded as non-structural. Both can be repaired and used on the road. Cat A must be crushed, and a Cat B body shell must be crushed, so neither should be sold as a complete car to drive.
Does Cat N mean the damage was only cosmetic?
Not necessarily. Non-structural damage can be a bumper or a light, and it can also be airbags, wiring or water ingress. The category is the insurer's decision at the time of the claim. It does not describe the quality of the repair you are looking at now.
Will a Cat S or Cat N marker show on a free check?
No. The free check is DVLA and DVSA data. A write-off marker originates with the MIAFTR insurance database and is supplied under licence. On MotorMkt it is part of the paid Full History Check, not the free MOT record.
Should I buy a Cat S or Cat N car?
Only with a price that reflects the history, evidence of what was damaged and how it was repaired, and an independent inspection. A marker does not prove the car is unsafe today. The absence of a marker does not prove it was never damaged.

Check a registration for a write-off marker

Read the free MOT, tax and mileage record first. If you are still buying, Full History on the same page is £6.99 instead of £9.99 with code LAUNCH30. That price is one Full History Check.

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Related guides

Write-off categories

Cat A, B, S and N, and older Cat C/D.

Car checks explained

What the free check shows, and what Full History adds.

Stolen car check

A write-off is not the only reason a car can be taken back.

Free car check

MOT, tax and mileage, then Full History on the same page.