What is the Scrap Metal Dealer Licence?
Any person collecting, buying or selling scrap metal requires a Scrap Metal Dealers licence issued by the local authority, and comes under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013.
Scrap metal includes:
any old, waste or discarded metal or metallic material, and
any product, article or assembly which is made from or contains metal and is broken, worn out or regarded by its last holder as having reached the end of its useful life.
Do I apply for a Site Licence or a Collectors Licence?
There are two types of Scrap Metal Dealer Licences. What one you apply for will depend whether you operate just within your local authority area or from within a site.
Site Licence - This is where the scrap metal business is operated from one or more sites in the local authority area. The licence allows the licensee to buy and sell scrap metal and to transport scrap metal to and from those sites from any local authority area.
Price of Site Licence - £420
Collector's Licence - This is where the scrap metal operator collects scrap metal in the local authority area. A separate licence must be obtained from each council the collector wishes to operate in.
A scrap metal dealer is only permitted to hold one type of licence in any one local authority area.
Price of Collector’s Licence - £370
How to apply for a Scrap Metal Dealer Licence
A Scrap Metal Dealer Licence must be made via your local council. You can find the contact details for your local council at the Official UK Government Website.
Fines and penalties
You could be fined £5,000 if you don’t hold a Scrap Metal Dealer Licence.
You could also face the following conditions:
- you must not receive scrap metal except between 9am and 5pm on any day
- all scrap metal must be kept in the form it was received up to 72 hours from when it was received
A council may revoke the Scrap Metal Dealer Licence at any time and close unlicensed sites.
