Automotive recycler & salvage yard check
Before you buy, open, or change a Michigan automotive recycler or salvage yard
Tell us who will take title, what happens to each vehicle, where the work happens, what records come with the deal, and where rain, fluids, tires, parts, and vehicle remains go. You’ll get a dated call sheet: who to ask, what to gather, and what still needs proof.
Prefer to read first? See a worked example · See a finished sample call sheet
Built from current official Michigan starting points
This is a starting map. The agency or local office makes the final call.
Is there a fire, active spill, strong vapor, severe injury, or immediate danger? Call 911 first. For a possible environmental emergency, open EGLE's official emergency page now. Open EGLE environmental emergencies.
A salvage yard is not one license or one environmental permit.
Who takes title, what happens to each vehicle, who buys the parts or remains, and where the work happens can change the license path.
This check goes deepest on a fixed Class C used-parts or Class R automotive-recycler starting lane. It does not choose C instead of R. Transport, crushing, final scrap processing, pools, auctions, towing, repair, whole-vehicle sales, and loose scrap get separate checks.
A short call sheet, in the right order.
Why it showed up
Every task points back to something you told us.
What to ask
Use the question on the phone or in an email.
What remains unknown
The call sheet names what the agency or local office still needs to decide.
Follow one vehicle from seller to final destination
Used parts, recycling, crushing, hauling, and scrap processing are not interchangeable.
This route goes deep on a fixed Michigan Class C used-parts or Class R automotive-recycler starting lane. It keeps the legal applicant, dealer classes, salvage vehicle agent, property, local use, titles, major parts, inventory, federal reporting, stormwater, waste, tires, refrigerants, tanks, fire, workers, and trucks in separate lanes. It sends crushing, final scrap processing, transport, pools, auctions, whole-vehicle sales, repair, towing, and loose scrap to the right specialist question instead of guessing.