Scrap metal dealer application

The licensing regime created by the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 (SMDA 2013) came into force on 1 October 2013.

The legislation (which also affects motor salvage operators) introduced a 3-year licence. There are 2 types of licence.

Site licence

All the sites where a licensee carries on business as a scrap metal dealer have to be identified, and you must name a site manager for each site. This licence allows the licensee to transport scrap metal to and from those sites from any local authority area. The fee in Hackney for a new site licence is £379.

Apply

• scrap metal dealer application form

Collector’s licence

Allows the licensee to operate as a collector in the area of the issuing local authority. It does not allow the collector to operate in any other local authority area, so you will need a separate licence if you wish to operate elsewhere. The licence does not authorise the licensee to operate a site – you will need a site licence from the relevant local authority to do so. The fee in Hackney for a new collector’s licence is £199.

Apply

• scrap metal dealer application form

If you are a dealer, you can only hold one type of licence in any one local authority area. If you are an operator, you must choose either a site licence or a mobile collector’s licence in any one area. You cannot hold both a site and a mobile collector’s licence from the same council.