Motor salvage operators

Background

Part 1 of the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 requires anyone who carries on business as a motor salvage operator in Southampton to be registered with the city council. The Scrap Metal Dealer's Act 2013 will replace these requirements when it comes into effect in the later part of 2013.

Definition

A person will be a motor salvage operator if their business consists:

1. wholly or partly in the recovery for re-use or sale of salvageable parts from motor vehicles and the subsequent disposal of the remainder of those vehicles; or
2. wholly or mainly of the purchase of written-off vehicles and their subsequent repair or re-sale; or
3. wholly or mainly of the sale or purchase of motor vehicles which are to be subject to any of activities in 1 or 2 above; or
4. wholly or mainly of activities within 2 or 3 above.

Applications and fees

Applications for registration should be made using the form in the related document section of this page. The fee for registration is £100.00 for a three year period.

The legislation includes a presumption of registration, unless the applicant is not a fit and proper person to be registered by reason of unspent convictions for any of the following offences:

• theft of or from a motor vehicle;
• taking a motor vehicle without consent;
• aggravated vehicle taking;
• handling stolen goods;
• going equipped to steal a motor vehicle;
• interference with a motor vehicle;
• tampering with a motor vehicle.
• an offence under part 1 of the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001

If an applicant has been convicted of any of these offences or is convicted whilst the registration is in force, the Council's Licensing Committee will consider whether or not to refuse registration or whether the registration should be cancelled.

Registration may also be cancelled if the person no longer carries on business as a motor salvage operator. Motor salvage operators must notify any changes in the information provided in their application within 28 days of the change occurring.

Register

Register entries for motor salvage operator appear in the Online Licensing Register via the link above.

Please note that the licensing authority may be required by law to disclose to the appropriate authorities, from time to time, further information relating to applications and licences for the purposes of law enforcement and the prevention of fraud.

If you need to contact us by email, 'phone or post, please do so using the details below.

Opening hours

Members of the Licensing Team are normally available on weekdays at the Civic Centre from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 16:00 to assist personal callers. We may be available at other times by prior appointment.