Scrap Metal Licensing

Any persons collecting, buying or selling scrap will require a scrap metal dealer's licence issued by the Council.

There are two types of scrap metal dealer licence:

• a site licence - allows for the operation of a site and collection of any scrap relevant to that site;
• a collector’s licence - allows for the collection of scrap only within the area for which it was issued.

Anyone wishing to operate as a collector in more than one council area will need to apply for a collector's licence from every council in whose areas they wish to collect.

NOTE: whilst a site licence and/or collector's licence can be held in more than one council area, only one type of licence can be held in any one council area.

Also note that these do not replace the waste carrier’s licence. To collect scrap in the Doncaster area, a person is required to hold a licence issued by the relevant council and a waste carrier's licence that is issued by the Environment Agency.

Any persons who carry out business as a scrap metal dealer without a licence may be liable on conviction to maximum fine of £5,000.

It is an offence to buy scrap metal for cash - a scrap metal dealer must not pay for scrap metal except by a cheque or electronic transfer.

Checklist

1. Read and understand Doncaster Councils Statement of Licensing Policy and Guidance for Applications        

SMD Licensing policy-1

Download (280KB - PDF)

2. An application needs to be made for the appropriate licence and a fee paid to the Council.

3. A basic criminal record disclosure form, no more than one month old, must be submitted as part of the application process. (Where the application is for a site licence, a basic disclosure for each applicant (including Site Managers, Directors, Company Secretaries etc is required))
   
   

   A basic criminal conviction certificate, can be obtained online https://www.gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record.

   Basic DBS Checks Guidance:  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/basic-dbs-checks-guidance

       
       4. (Renewal Applicants Only)

Licensing authorities are responsible for carrying out certain checks on applications from individuals, companies and any type of partnership to make sure they are aware of their tax responsibilities or have completed a tax check.

If you make an application on or after 4 April 2022 you’ll need to complete a tax check, link below for information and how to apply:

Changes for taxi, private hire or scrap metal licence applications from April 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

After you have completed the tax check you will be given a 9-character tax check code.

You will need to give the code on your application to the licensing authority, so we can confirm you have carried out a tax check.

Apply online using the link below (under Apply Now)

New and renewal applications

Site Licence £431.00

Collector's Licence £277.00

Variation Fees 

Name change (not change of person) £32.00

Change from Site Licence to Collector's Licence £32.00

Change from Collector's Licence to Site Licence £271.00

Change of Site Manager £271.00

Add additional site(s) to a Site Licence £106.00

There is a 28 day consultation period from the date the application is accepted. Providing there are no objections to the granting of the licence, we aim to issue within 14 days.

An inspection will be conducted to check compliance with the relevant bye-law requirements as well as ensuring that general health and safety requirements are being met. The inspector will be pleased to offer advice as to how these obligations can be met.

Scrap Metal Site/Collector Application

Once granted, a licence is valid for three years.

Every scrap metal dealer who receives any scrap metal in the course of their business must record the following information -

1. a) a description of the metal, including its type (or types if mixed), form, condition, weight and any marks identifying previous owners or other distinguishing features;
2. b) the date and time of its receipt;
3. c) if the metal is delivered in or on a vehicle, the registration mark (within the meaning of section 23 of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994) of the vehicle;
4. d) if the metal is received from a person, the full name and address of that person;
5. e) if the dealer pays for the metal, the full name of the person who makes the payment acting for the dealer.

If the dealer receives metal from a person, the dealer must keep a copy of any document which the dealer uses to verify the name and address of that person.

If the dealer pays for the metal by cheque, the dealer must keep a copy of the cheque.

If the dealer pays for the metal by electronic transfer the dealer must keep a receipt identifying the transfer or, if no receipt was obtained, the dealer must record particulars identifying the transfer. 

Where a site licence holder disposes of scrap metal in the course of their business they must record the following information:

1. a) a description of the metal, including type (or types if mixed), form and weight;
2. b) the date and time of its disposal;
3. c) if the disposal is to another person, the full name and address of that person;
4. d) if the dealer receives payment for the metal (whether by way of sale or exchange), the price or other consideration received.

Where disposal is in the course of business under a collector's licence, the dealer must record the following information:

1. a) the date and time of disposal;
2. b) if the disposal is to another person, the full name and address of that person)

Please note that the HMRC has powers to obtain information from licensing authorities:

Schedule 23 to Finance Act 2011 (Data Gathering Powers) and Schedule 36 to Finance Act 2008 (Information and Inspection Powers), grant HMRC powers to obtain relevant information from third parties. This includes licensing bodies being required to provide information about licence applicants

It is an offence to buy scrap metal for cash - a scrap metal dealer must not pay for scrap metal except by a cheque or electronic transfer.

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 is available here: legislation

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 (Prescribed Documents and Information for Verification of Name and Address) Regulations 2013 are available here

Also see the mobile collector's records template:

Mobile Collectors Record Book-1

Download (249KB - PDF)

The outcome of an application will usually be determined within 28 days. The licence is valid for three years.  

SMD Licensing policy-1

Download (280KB - PDF)

 Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013: Supplementary Guidance