Newark & Sherwood District Council

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 came into force in October 2013. The legislation requires any persons collecting or buying scrap in Newark and Sherwood to have a Scrap Metal Dealer’s Licence issued by us.

There is a charge for this licence, which is discussed below. Under the new act, motor salvage operators are now also included.

There are two types of licence:

• A site licence - this is required where a business is carried on as a scrap metal dealer at premises. A site manager is required to be named for each site. The licensee is then permitted to operate from that site as a scrap metal dealer including transporting to and from those sites from any local authority area. The charge for a site licence in Newark and Sherwood is £375.
• A collector’s licence - this authorises the licensee to operate as a mobile collector in the area of the issuing local authority, permitting them to collect scrap metal as appropriate. This includes commercial as well as domestic scrap metal. If a mobile collector operates within more than one local authority’s district, a licence will be required for each authority that (s)he operates in. The charge for a collector’s licence in Newark & Sherwood is £150.

It should be noted that a scrap metal dealer can only hold one type of licence in any one local authority area. You will have to decide whether you are going to apply for a site or a collector’s licence in any one area.

An application needs to be made for your licence and a fee will be payable to us. You will also need to submit a basic criminal record disclosure form as part of the application process. Anyone who carries out business as a scrap metal dealer without a licence may be liable on conviction to maximum fine of £5,000

Please note these licences do not replace the Waste Carrier’s Licence. To deal in and collect scrap in Newark and Sherwood you will be required to hold a licence issued by us and a Waste Carriers Licence that is issued by the Environment Agency.

To ensure you can operate lawfully as a scrap metal dealer you will need submit a valid application with the correct documentation and fee.

If you need any help in making your application please contact the Councils’ Licensing Team to make an appointment: telephone 01636 655236 or email request@nsdc.info