Scrap metal licences

There are two types of scrap metal licence. You can only hold one type of licence in any one local authority area. You will have to decide whether to apply for either of the following.

Site licence

This is required where business is carried out at a specific premises. 

A site manager must 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 the site from any local authority area.

The charge for a site licence in Newark and Sherwood is £375.

Collector’s licence

This authorises you to operate as a mobile collector in our local authority area, permitting you to collect scrap metal here. 

This includes commercial as well as domestic scrap metal. 

If you want to operate as a mobile collector in more than one local authority’s district, a licence will be required for each authority.

If you have any questions about which licence to apply for, or anything else on this page, contact customer services using the details at the bottom of this page.

The charge for a collector’s licence in Newark & Sherwood is £150. 

Apply for a licence

Applications are made by filling out a form on GOV.UK.

Start now

These licences do not replace a waste carrier’s licence. 

To deal in and collect scrap in you need both a licence issued by us, and a waste carriers licence issued by the Environment Agency. Apply for a waste carriers licence online.

Legislation

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 requires anyone collecting or buying scrap to have a scrap metal dealer’s licence from their local council. 

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

As part of our legal obligations we keep a register of scrap collectors and sites:

• Licensed Scrap Collectors 2025 (PDF, 405kb)
• Licensed Scrap Sites 2025 (PDF, 489kb)