Apply for this licence
Contact your council to get an itinerant (travelling) metal dealer’s licence to buy and sell scrap metal door-to-door in Scotland.
Conditions
Door-to-door means that you don’t store the metal on your premises. If you buy or sell scrap metal from a business premises, you should apply for a metal dealer’s licence.
Requirements
You must keep records of all transactions for 6 months.
For metal you buy, you must record:
- the description and weight of the scrap metal
- the name and address of the seller
- the price of the metal
For metal you sell, keep receipts that show:
- the description and weight of the scrap metal
- the name and address of the buyer
- the amount you sold the metal for
If you deal in second-hand goods as well as scrap metal, you’ll also need a second-hand dealer’s licence.
How to apply
Contact your local council to apply.
Licences are valid for 3 years.
Fines and penalties
If you deal in scrap metal without a licence, you can be fined up to £2,500.
If you don’t follow the licence conditions (eg if you don’t keep records), you can be fined up to £1,000.