Does NSW have specific laws for scrap metal dealers, separate from general second-hand dealer rules?
Short answer: Yes — New South Wales has specific regulated secondhand dealer requirements that scrap metal dealers fall under, including record-keeping and identification requirements aimed at reducing the resale of stolen metal, administered through NSW Police and Fair Trading frameworks. These apply to the dealer's business, not to individual sellers offloading their own material.
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List Free →Why scrap has its own regulatory layer
Metal theft — copper wiring, manhole covers, road infrastructure, construction site material — has been enough of a recurring issue in NSW that scrap metal dealing falls under specific regulated secondhand dealer provisions, beyond generic secondhand goods rules, aimed at making stolen material harder to resell anonymously.
What this actually requires of dealers
Regulated dealers generally need to record specific transaction details and seller identification, and in some cases report certain transactions — this creates a traceable record intended to deter and help investigate metal theft specifically.
What this means if you’re selling your own scrap
As an individual seller, you’re not the one who needs a licence — but expect a compliant dealer to ask for your ID and record transaction details as part of their own regulatory obligation, which is standard and not a reflection on you personally.
How ScrapTrade Makes This Easier
ScrapTrade only works with business-verified buyers, so the NSW compliance side of a transaction is already handled on a legitimate footing when you sell through the platform.
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