Scrap Metal Dealer Licence Application Guidance Notes

If you need more help in completing the application then call you local council licensing team – we'll be happy to help.

Section 1 – For everyone

This section asks if you are applying for a collector's licence or a site licence. You may only apply for one type of licence in each council area, but you can apply to run multiple sites. For instance, you could apply to run three sites in council A's area, and also apply to be a collector in council B's area.

A site licence lets you buy and sell scrap metal from a fixed location within the council area. 

A collector's licence allows you to travel within the council area to collect scrap metal. You may not take this metal back to a site that you run within the council area in order to sell it.

Section 2 – For everyone

In order to carry on your business you may need to hold other environmental permits or licences that we should know about. For instance, if you carry waste as part of your business it is a legal requirement to register as a waste carrier. This includes transporting waste while travelling from job to job, to a storage place for disposal later, or to a waste disposal site. For more information on this, or to register, call 03708 506506 or visit the environment agency website.

This section also asks for details of any other scrap metal licences you hold. Please make sure you include the licence number so that we can check this against the national register.

Section 3 – For site licences

Fill out the appropriate part of this section if you want a site licence. It should be filled out in the name of the person who will hold the scrap metal dealer's licence. As well as details about you and your business, we will also need details of any directors or partners involved in the business, including their home address. These details are required by law or to facilitate checks on the applicant or so that you can be contacted if there are any problems.

You and every person listed on the application form needs to submit a Basic Disclosure Certificate from DBS. Apply for this certificate on the government website.

This is because the Home Office has decided that you and any person listed on the application need to tell the council if you have been convicted of certain crimes. Possessing a conviction may not automatically prevent you from having a licence if the offence was unrelated to being a scrap metal dealer or a long time ago, and you can convince the council that you are a suitable person.

A Basic Disclosure Certificate is considered to be only valid for a limited time, but can be used to apply to as many councils as you want within that time. Typically, three months is the longest that you can expect your check to be considered valid.

There is not much space on the form, so if you need to list more than one site manager, director, or partner, then please continue on a separate piece of paper setting out the details in the same way as the form.

A site manager is the person who will be in charge of the site on a daily basis.

A director or partner is someone who has or shares legal responsibility for the operation of the company, including filing returns at Companies House.

We also want to know if you operate or propose to operate a site in another local authority area, along with details of this site, the council which has licensed it, or to whom you have applied for a licence.

If you site(s) were established after 1990, then you are required to have planning permission from the council. You will need to tell us if this is the case, and it will be checked with the council planning department.

Section 4 – For a collector's licence

Fill out this section if you want a collector's licence. It should be filled out in the name of the person who will hold the scrap metal dealer's licence. You are asked to provide contact details, including the place where you live, so that the council can get in touch with you if necessary.

You need to submit a Basic Disclosure Certificate from DBS. Apply for this certificate on the government website.

This is because the Home Office has decided that you need to tell the council if you have been convicted of certain crimes. Possessing a conviction may not automatically prevent you from having a licence if the offence was unrelated to being a scrap metal dealer or a long time ago, and you can convince the council that you are a suitable person.

A Basic Disclosure Certificate is considered to be only valid for a limited time, but can be used to apply to as many councils as you want within that time. Typically, three months is the longest that you can expect your check to be considered valid.

You will need to ensure that all your vehicles are roadworthy and are properly taxed, insured and otherwise meet the legal requirements to be on the road.

Section 5 – Motor salvage operator

This section asks if you will be salvaging motor vehicles as part of your work. The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 brings together the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 together with Part 1 of the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001, which means you now only need a scrap metal dealer's licence. You will need to apply for a site licence to operate as a motor salvage operator.

Section 6 – Bank accounts that will be used for payments to suppliers

This section asks you for the bank details which you will use to pay for the scrap metal you receive or sell. This is to check that you are not selling the metal for cash, which is illegal. These details will be kept securely by the council.

Section 7 – Payment

There is a fee to apply for a licence and your council will tell you how you can pay. The fee varies from council to council as it reflects their costs of processing the form and checking that people are doing what the licence requires. Applications cannot be accepted unless the correct fee has been paid.

Section 8 – Criminal convictions

This section asks you to set out any relevant convictions or enforcement activity that has been undertaken against you by the Environment Agency or Natural Resources Wales. It is an offence under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 to make or recklessly make a false statement. The information listed here will be checked against the Basic Disclosure certificate that you are required to submit with the application, along with information retained by the police and the Environment Agency or Natural Resources Wales.

Section 9 – Declaration

The person who will hold the scrap metal dealer's licence needs to sign and date the declaration, as do the other people named on the form. This section also explains that the council has to share some of these details with the police, Environment Agency, or Natural Resources Wales when checking whether the applicant(s) is a suitable person to hold a licence. Some of the information will also be displayed on a public register.

If you do not agree to this use of your information then you should not sign the form. If you are in any doubt about what this section means then speak to your council's licensing team.