There are two types of scrap metal dealer's licences - a site licence which will allow a dealer to operate from the sites named on the licence and a collector's licence which will allow dealers to operate as a mobile collector within the council's area.
An application for a site licence must also name a site manager for each site to be covered by the licence. Each licence lasts for up to three years.
Once a licence has been issued, the council will forward details of the licence to the Environment Agency. That agency maintains a register of scrap metal licences issued.
Eligibility criteria
If you wish to carry on the business as a scrap metal dealer, you must obtain either of the following:
A scrap metal dealer is anyone who carries on:
Scrap metal is:
Scrap metal is not:
A Motor Salvage Operator is a person who carries on a business which consists:
Regulation summary
You can access a summary and the relevant legislation in the 'External links' below.
Application evaluation process
You will need to submit a completed application and fee.
Section 3 of the Act states that a council must not issue a licence unless it is satisfied the applicant is a suitable person to carry on business as a scrap metal dealer - the 'suitability test':
Therefore, the applicant will need to submit a basic disclosure for each of the above as well as for each site manager named in their application.
Please note that Sunderland City Council will only accept disclosures which are less than three months old.
Checks will also be carried out with Northumbria Police and the Environment Agency to ascertain whether:
If no objections are received then a licence will be issued.
However, should relevant objections be received then the council will issue a notice of refusal. The notice gives the applicant the opportunity to make representations (or let the council know they wish to) within 14 days from the date on which the notice is given to the applicant. When the applicant states they want to make representations the council will give them a further period of 14 days in which to do so.
If the applicant does not make any representations, or does not say that they wish to in that time period, then the application will be refused.
If representations are received, the matter will be referred to a Licensing Sub-Committee for consideration. The applicant will be invited to attend this meeting in order to make oral representations in respect of their application.
Application fees
| Site licence (for a single site and for determination of the suitability of a single person) - see 'Supplementary fees' below | £668.69 |
| Collector's licence - see 'Supplementary fees' below | £344.76 |
Supplementary fees to the application fees above
| Supplementary fees for each additional site covered by a site licence | £396.16 |
| Supplementary fee per person in respect of each person named as a site manager (other than the applicant) and, in the case of any application by a partnership or limited company, each individual partner, director, secretary and shadow director | £18.22 |
Fees for variations to existing licences
| Variation in type of licence, for example, from collector's licence to site licence or the reverse (Schedule 1 Para 3(1) Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013) | £456.36 |
| Variation upon change in name (but not identity) of licensee or site managers named in licence (Schedule 1 Para 3(2) Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013) | £35.17 |
| Variation upon each change of the authorised sites covered by a licence (Schedule 1 Para 3(2) Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013) | £396.16 |
Apply for a scrap metal licence
Tell us about a change to an existing scrap metal licence
Will ''tacit consent'' apply?
Tacit consent does not apply to applications for scrap metal dealer's licences. The council must ensure that, should they be minded to grant an application, the applicant is a fit and proper person.
Our target completion period for applications for licences is 60 working days from the time when all documentation and fees have been submitted.
If you have not heard from us within this period, please contact our City and Neighbourhood team.
Public register
The Scrap Metal Dealers Act creates a requirement for a register of scrap metal dealers licences. The Environment Agency must maintain a register of scrap metal licences issued in England, and Natural Resources Wales must maintain a register of scrap metal licences issued in Wales. Both registers will be open to the public.
Under the provisions of the Act when councils issue a licence they are obliged to pass on certain information to the Environment Agency/NRW to enter on the register. The information that has to be passed on about each licence is:
Failed application redress
There is no statutory right of appeal against the refusal of a street trading licence.
This service is provided in partnership with the European EUGO network
