Scrap Metal Dealers

Application Forms

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Application Process 

An application for a site or collector's licence can be made by an individual, company or partnership and must be submitted on the relevant council application form. 

Scrap Metal Collector

To make application you must produce:

• Completed relevant application form
• Relevant fee
• Basic Disclosure not more than 3 months old
• Relevant Environment Permit Natural Resources Wales
• 2 passport photographs
• Photographic proof of identity (e.g. passport, driving licence)
• Proof of name and home address not more than 3 months old (e.g. utility bill)

The above identity documents and disclosure will need to be produced for every person named within the application e.g. partners, directors, company secretaries.

Once all of the required documents have been received a 14 day consultation starting on the day after the Licensing Authority received it with Police, Planning and trading Standards will take place.

Please note that if you are granted a Collector’s licence, this will only allow you to collect Scrap Metal (including vehicles) within the Vale of Glamorgan area.

If you wish to collect in any other Local Authority a separate licence will be required for each area. All granted licences will be valid for three years.

Scrap Metal Site

To make application the following must be produced:

• Completed relevant application form
• Relevant fee
• Relevant Environment Permit 
• Basic Disclosure not more than 3 months old for each person named in the application (e.g. directors, secretary, site manager)
• Photographic proof of identity (e.g. passport, driving licence) for each person named in the application (e.g. directors, secretary, site manager)

Once all of the required documents have been received a 14 day consultation starting on the day after the Licensing Authority received it with Police, Planning and Trading Standards will take place. On completion of processing Vale of Glamorgan Council will provide individuals with a registration certificate valid for three years.

Changing an existing registration

The Council must be notified within 28 days of any alterations to a registered person's or business' particulars, or if the business ceases to operate.

Background and Eligibility Criteria

Anyone wishing to carry on a business as a scrap metal dealer requires a licence.

Scrap metal includes:

• any old, waste or discarded metal or metallic material
• any product, article or assembly which is made from or contains metal and is broken, worn out or regarded by its last holder as having reached the end of its useful life.
• It does not include:
• gold, silver and any alloy of which 2% or more by weight is attributable to gold or silver.

Site Licence - This is where the scrap metal business is operated from one or more sites in the local authority area. The licence allows the licensee to buy and sell scrap metal and to transport scrap metal to and from those sites from any local authority area.

Collector's Licence - This is where the scrap metal operator collects scrap metal in the local authority area. A separate licence must be obtained from each council the collector wishes to operate in.

A scrap metal dealer is only permitted to hold one type of licence in any one local authority area.

A scrap metal dealer must not receive scrap metal from a person without verifying that person's full name and address and must not pay cash for any scrap metal he purchases. The scrap metal dealer must keep copies of any documents used to verify the identity of the seller. 

The dealer is required to record specific information regarding the sale or purchase of any scrap metal.

Fees

Site Licence

Collector Licence

Any costs associated with the Disclosure, National Resources Wales permit and photographs are not included in the Vale of Glamorgan fees.

Only existing licence holders can apply for a copy of their current licence where it may have been lost, stolen or damaged.

Supplementary Information 

•  Verifying Identity of Customer

  A scrap metal dealer must not receive scrap metal from a person without verifying the person’s full name and address.

   

  In order to verify a person’s name and address, it will be sufficient for the scrap metal dealer to refer to either–

  (a) a document listed in paragraph (2) which bears the person’s full name, photograph and residential address; or

  (b) both of–

  (i) a document listed in paragraph (2) which bears the person’s full name, photograph and date of birth, and

  (ii) a supporting document listed in paragraph (3) which bears the person’s full name and residential address.

   

  (2) The documents which apply for the purposes of regulation 2(1)(a) or (b)(i) are as follows:

  (a) a valid United Kingdom passport, within the meaning of section 33(1) of the Immigration Act 1971(b); or

  (b) a valid passport issued by an EEA state; or

  (c) a valid Great Britain or Northern Ireland photo-card driving licence; or

  (d) a valid UK biometric immigration document, issued in accordance with regulations made under section 5 of the UK Borders Act 2007(a).

   

  (3) The documents which apply for the purposes of regulation 2(1)(b)(ii) are–

  (a) a bank or building society statement;

  (b) a credit or debit card statement;

  (c) a council tax demand letter or statement; or

  (d) a utility bill, but not a mobile telephone bill

  provided that the date on which the document in question was issued is not more than three months before the date when the scrap metal is received by the scrap metal dealer.

•  Records: disposal of metal

  (1) This section applies if a scrap metal dealer disposes of any scrap metal in the course of the dealer's business.

   

  (2) For these purposes metal is disposed of—

  (a) whether or not it is in the same form in which it was received;

  (b) whether or not the disposal is to another person;

  (c) whether or not the metal is despatched from a site.

   

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

  (a) the date and time of the disposal;

  (b) if the disposal is to another person, the full name and address of that person.

•  Records: receipt of metal

  (1) This section applies if a scrap metal dealer receives any scrap metal in the course of the dealer's business.

   

  (2) The dealer must record the following information—

  (a) the description of the metal, including its type (or types if mixed), form, condition, weight and any marks identifying previous owners or other distinguishing features;

  (b) the date and time of its receipt;

  (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;

  (d) if the metal is received from a person, the full name and address of that person;

  (e) if the dealer pays for the metal, the full name of the person who makes the payment acting for the dealer.

   

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

   

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

   

  (5) If the dealer pays for the metal by electronic transfer—

  (a) the dealer must keep the receipt identifying the transfer, or

  (b) if no receipt identifying the transfer was obtained, the dealer must record particulars identifying the transfer.

•  Records: supplementary

  (1)The information mentioned above must be recorded in a manner which allows the information and the scrap metal to which it relates to be readily identified by reference to each other.

   

  (2)The dealer must keep the information and other records mentioned above for a period of 3 years beginning with the day on which the metal is received or (as the case may be) disposed of.

•  Payment for Scrap Metal

  A scrap metal dealer must not pay for scrap metal except by a cheque which is not transferable or by an electronic transfer of funds. Paying includes paying in kind (with goods or services).

Complaint and Other Redress

• Any person aggrieved by a refusal to be granted a licence may appeal to the Magistrates Courts who may give such directions regarding the licence or its conditions as it thinks proper. Any person aggrieved by any conditions to which a licence is subject may appeal to the Magistrates Courts who may give such directions regarding the licence or its conditions as it thinks proper.

Regulations and Guidance

Regulations

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