Scrap Metal Dealers

Licence Summary

To be a scrap metal dealer, you need to register with your local authority.  A scrap metal dealer is classed as carrying on a business in Leeds if any of the following apply:

• the dealer occupies a place as a scrap metal store in Leeds;
• the dealer does not occupy a place as a scrap metal store but has a usual place of residence in Leeds; or 
• the dealer does not occupy a place as a scrap metal store but occupies a place for business purposes in Leeds.

A scrap metal dealer needs to be registered by the council in the area in which he occupies a scrap metal store or lives or has a scrap metal dealing business.  A registered scrap metal dealer must notify the council within 28 days if any of the details registered with the council change, or if he ceases trading as a scrap metal dealer.  Registrations last for three years.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must not be under 18 years of age.

Regulation Summary

Application Evaluation Process

Applicants must provide the following:

• their full name 
• the address of the dealer, or in the case of a company, their registered or principal office 
• the address of each place occupied as a scrap metal store, if any 
• if the business is carried on without a scrap metal store 
• if the business is carried on without a scrap metal store but the applicant occupies a place for the purposes of business, and the address of such a place

The registered dealer must notify the local authority of any changes to these details or if they cease to be a scrap metal dealer.

Will Tacit Consent Apply?

Yes.  This means you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from us by the end of the target completion period which is 29 days from receipt of correctly completed application form.

Forms to download, print and post or email

Should you wish to apply electronically, you can download the form from this page which you can complete and post or email to us.

Redress

Please contact us in the first instance.

Public Registers or databases

We do not hold a public register of Scrap Metal Dealers online, but if you contact us we will be able to provide information over the phone.

Trade Associations

• British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA)
• International Aluminium Institute
• International Lead Association
• Metal Bulletin

Waste Carriers Licence

If you carry or transport waste as part of your business with a view to making a profit you may also need a Waste Carriers Licence from the Environment Agency in addition to the Scrap Metal Dealers registration. You can register online.  For further advice please call the Environment Agency on 08708 506506.  Alternatively you can contact the Highways and Environmental Enforcement team at the council on 0113 395 1765 who will be able to advise if you need a licence.

Record of dealings

Every scrap metal dealer must keep the following records at each scrap metal store:

a. All scrap metal received at that place, including

• the description and weight of the scrap metal
• the date and time of receipt of the scrap metal
• if the scrap metal is received from another person, the full name and address of that person
• the price, if any, payable in respect of the receipt of the scrap metal, if that price has been ascertained at the time when entry in the book relating to that scrap metal is to be made OR the estimated  value of the scrap metal at the time when the entry is made
• the registration mark of the vehicle if the scrap metal has been delivered by means of a vehicle

b. All scrap metal either processed at, or despatched from that place including

• the description and weight of the scrap metal
• the date of processing or despatch of the scrap metal and, if processed, the process applied
• in the case of scrap metal despatched on sale or exchange, the full name and address of the person to whom the scrap metal is sold or with whom it is exchanged and the consideration for which it is sold or exchanged
• in the case of scrap metal processed or despatched otherwise than on sale or exchange, the value of the scrap metal immediately before its processing or despatch as estimated by the dealer

Entries must be made immediately upon receipt, processing or despatch as the case may be and books kept must be retained for a period of two years from the last entry.  No more than one book may be used for each type of record.

An itinerant collector may apply to the council for limited exemption from the requirement or keep records.

Where a scrap metal dealer does not have a scrap metal store and he does not have limited exemption from the requirements to keep records, the record keeping requirement as described above apply, except that:

1. the records should be kept at the usual place of scrap metal dealing business and
2. price and all other details shall be entered as son as possible.

Rights of entry

Any constable has a right at all reasonable times to inspect registered premises, any records kept at the premises and any scrap metal kept at that place. An officer of a local authority duly authorised in writing shall have power of entry to ascertain if premises are being used as a scrap metal store in contrary to Section 1 of the Act.

Definitions

Itinerant collectors means a person regularly engaged in collecting waste materials, and old, broken, worn out or defaced articles by means of visits from house to house.

Scrap metal includes any old metal, and any broken, worn out, defaced or partly manufactured articles made wholly or partly of metal and any metallic wastes and also includes old, broken, worn out or defaced tooltips or dies made of any other materials commonly known as hard metal or of cemented or sintered metallic carbides.

Scrap metal store means a place where scrap metal is received or kept in the course on the business of a scrap metal dealer.

Use of Personal Data

We are under a duty to protect the public funds we administer and to this end may use the information you provide on your application for the prevention and detection of fraud. We may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.