What is the difference between Category S and Category N write-offs?

Category S indicates structural damage, while Category N indicates non-structural damage. Both can return to the road if properly repaired, but buyers should understand the history and inspect the repairs carefully.

In relation to “What is the difference between Category S and Category N write-offs?”, a used-car purchase is safest when identity, paperwork, history, condition and seller credibility all agree with each other.

For “What is the difference between Category S and Category N write-offs?”, ask what was damaged, who repaired it and whether photographs or invoices exist. The insurance category records the type of loss; it does not grade the quality of the repair.

For “What is the difference between Category S and Category N write-offs?”, write-off category, ownership of salvage and DVLA paperwork are separate issues. Keep the insurer’s settlement letter because it can clarify what happened to the vehicle after the claim.

For “What is the difference between Category S and Category N write-offs?”, this answer is written for a Northern Ireland user, but some vehicle-registration, consumer-credit and insurance functions operate on a UK-wide basis. The attached sources — GOV.UK - Buy a vehicle: step by step, GOV.UK - Vehicle registration: new and used vehicles, and nidirect - Contact Consumerline — are therefore deliberately mixed where the responsible authority is UK-wide. That is more accurate than forcing every point into an NI-only source.

Practical next step for “What is the difference between Category S and Category N write-offs?”: do not pay until this point has been independently checked. Save the advert, seller messages and any official or commercial check so you can show exactly what information you relied on.