Selling scrap metal in Queensland: ID and records

Yes, expect to show ID. A licensed second-hand dealer in Queensland must see ID with your name and address before it buys from you. It must also ask whether the goods are yours, and keep a record.

This guide shows the rules in force on 8 November 2026 and the changes Queensland passed in October 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. Read the Queensland Government page for dealers before you sell.

• $55resale value that makes a dealer record a saleQueensland Government
• 7 working dayshow long a dealer holds nominated goodsQueensland Government
• Under 17sellers a dealer must turn awayQueensland Government
• 17 July 2026when the Queensland Government dealer page was last updated
• 22 October 2026when the new scrap metal Act became lawQueensland Legislation

Which ID rules apply when you sell scrap metal in Queensland?

These rules are on the Queensland Government's page for second-hand dealers (updated 17 July 2026). They come from the Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 2003. They bind the dealer. You answer the questions.

Who do these rules apply to?

You can check whether a buyer holds a licence on the Office of Fair Trading's free public register. It shows the licence holder, the place of business and whether the licence is current.

What ID should you bring?

The Queensland Government gives a driver licence as its example. The rules do not list every acceptable document, so what a buyer takes can differ.

What to bring when you sell scrap metal

• Current photo ID, such as a driver licence, with your name and address
• A recent bill or letter in your name, if your ID has no address or an old one
• The owner's written permission and contact details, if the metal is not yours
• The receipt, invoice or job paperwork for large, traceable or valuable items
• The vehicle's registration details or VIN, if the part came off a car
• Your business name and a tax invoice or job record, if you sell for a business

You do not need to hand over a photocopy. Keep your own copy of the docket and your paperwork.

How do you prove the metal is yours?

The law asks the dealer to record how you got the goods. It names no documents. The tips below are practical advice, not a legal checklist. The more valuable or traceable the item, the more paperwork helps.

See electrical cable scrap for cable. If you cannot show how you got something, expect a careful buyer to say no. If you are unsure what you have, the identification guide helps.

Why might a buyer say no?

A refusal is usually the dealer meeting its own legal duties. It is not a judgement about you. A dealer may turn goods away when:

• it cannot verify your ID
• you cannot explain where the goods came from
• you seem to be under 17, or affected by drugs or alcohol
• the goods look as if they came from somewhere they should not have.

The Department of Justice says catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters and cabling or wiring are the high-volume items reported stolen across the community. Expect more questions if you sell them.

What does Queensland's new scrap metal law change?

Parliament passed the Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 on 15 October 2026, and it became law as the Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026 on 22 October 2026.

Metal theft offences: in force since 29 October 2026

The Criminal Code changes started 7 days after the Act became law. They cover valuable metal items: catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters, metal that serves power, water, telecommunications or transport, and items such as roofing, guttering, pipes and electrical equipment used on farms, mines, factories, shops, schools and hospitals, or at a construction site.

• Stealing a valuable metal item carries up to 10 years in prison. That rises to 14 years if it disrupts a public facility, and 25 years if it endangers someone's life or health.
• Attempting to steal one is an offence in its own right, with up to 7 years.
• Possessing a catalytic converter, diesel particulate filter, or cabling or wiring that is reasonably suspected of being stolen carries up to 3 years.
• Receiving stolen valuable metal carries up to 16 years, or 20 years for a dealer in second-hand goods.

Dealer rules: start on a date still to be set

Once they start, these dealer rules change for scrap metal:

• Scrap metal gets its own definition and counts as second-hand property.
• A dealer must record every scrap metal transaction, whatever its value.
• A dealer must get your name, date of birth and residential address. It must check them against photo ID that shows your date of birth, such as a driver licence, passport or photo ID card.
• The 7-working-day hold no longer applies to scrap metal.
• The maximum penalty for dealing in scrap metal without a licence rises to 400 penalty units or two years in prison.
• Penalties rise for repeatedly failing to tell police about suspected stolen scrap metal.

When they start, bring photo ID that shows your date of birth, plus a document with your residential address if your ID has none. Read the Act as passed for the exact wording: part 8 changes the Criminal Code and part 25 the dealer rules.

Before you travel with a load

Ask the buyer what ID and paperwork it needs, and whether it can take your items. To start a request with Forge Recyclers, use the quote page. Forge replies with what to do next. How it works shows the usual order of events, and the glossary explains words such as nominated goods and transaction register.