The　paving　asphalts　have　long　been　recognized　to　be　capable　of　self-healing.　The　objective　of　this　study　was　to　evaluate　the　healing　potential　of　asphalt　binders　and　investigate　its　relationship　with　molecular　characteristics　in　terms　of　composition　and　structures.　Five　neat　and　styrene-butadiene-styrene　(SBS)　modified　asphalt　binders　were　characterized　using　the　recently　developed　linear　amplitude　sweep-based　healing　test.　The　data　were　analyzed　based　on　the　viscoelastic　continuum　damage　theory　to　establish　healing　master　curves　and　determine　the　healing　rate　H(R).　Chemical　evaluation　methods　included　saturates,　aromatics,　resins,　and　asphaltenes　fractionation,　gel　permeation　chromatography,　and　nuclear　magnetic　resonance　spectroscopy.　Results　indicated　that　the　presence　of　more　light/low-polarity　fractions　of　saturates　and　aromatics　or　higher　concentrations　of　small　molecules　promoted　healing,　as　these　molecules　were　expected　to　have　higher　mobility　facilitating　molecular　diffusion　across　crack　interfaces.　Lower　percentages　of　aromatic　ring　structures　and　more　aliphatic　chains　corresponded　to　higher　healing　rates.　The　SBS-modified　asphalt　binders　contained　higher　concentrations　of　aromatic　rings,　but　still　provided　comparable　healing　potential　with　the　neat　asphalts.