Collectors licensing information

What is a collectors licence?

A collectors licence authorises the licensee to carry on business as a mobile collector in the city of Derby. Your licence will allow you to collect in areas shown within the black line on the scrap metal dealers area map.

If you wish to collect in another council area, you must contact the relevant council for an application form.

Every person working on a vehicle collecting scrap metal must be licensed unless they are properly employed by a business licensed as a site or hold a collector’s licence. A certified copy of that licence must be displayed in the vehicle.

Each business requires a licence. Self-employed people are classed as a business. If you are self-employed and share a vehicle, each self-employed person will require a licence in their own right, in order to collect scrap metal.

Please note these licences do not replace the waste carrier's licence. To deal in and collect scrap in Derby you will be required to hold a licence issued by us and a waste carriers licence that is issued by the Environment Agency.

Waste carriers licence

If you transport scrap metal you will also require a waste carriers licence issued from the Environment Agency.

Collections in other local authority areas

A licence will allow you to collect in other local authority areas, but only if a site licence is held and the collections are undertaken in the course of that business. If you collect door-to-door, a licence is required for every local authority you collect in.

Converting a collectors licence into a site licence

You can convert a collectors licence into a site licence. Please see the licence conversions page for more information and how to apply.

Cash for scrap metal

A scrap metal dealer must not pay cash for scrap metal. Payment must only be by cheque or by an electronic transfer of funds (authorised by credit or debit card or otherwise).