Second Hand Dealer Registration

The City of Newcastle upon Tyne Act 2000 requires all dealers in second hand goods in Newcastle to register with the City Council. The Trading Standards Service in Newcastle is responsible for the registration process. Please read this information carefully to see if the Act applies to you and if you need to register. Registration form (pdf 184 kb).

Who is affected?

Any persons who carry on the business of a dealer in second-hand goods trading within the City of Newcastle with the exception of;

• Charities registered under the Charities Act 1960
• Scrap metal dealers registered under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act
• Dealers in waste paper, cardboard, textiles, plastics in bulk or second hand clothes (exempt only in respect of that part of the business)
• Dealers in motor vehicles
• Businesses who only occasionally deal with second-hand goods

What does the Act require?

There are two main requirements, namely registration and record keeping.

Registration

Dealers must now register with the Trading Standards Service. Both the dealer and the business premises must be registered. Dealers who do not have fixed premises within Newcastle should just register their business. Registration is valid for 3 years and there is no fee payable. The certification of registration must be displayed on a part of the premises open to the public.

Please note that if any of the details on the registration form change then a new registration must be made even if it is within the 3 years.

Record keeping

The Act requires dealers to keep detailed records of goods bought. These details must be entered in a book kept on the premises specifically for this purpose. In the case of dealers with no fixed premises (e.g. Market Traders) this book should be available whenever doing business.

This book must be retained for at least one year after the last entry was made and must be produced (if requested) to a Police Constable or Trading Standards Officer. Details which must be recorded include; date of transaction, description of the goods and the name and address of person from whom it was acquired.

Other requirements

It is also illegal to buy second-hand goods from somebody under the age of 16 years. It is also an offence for a person selling second-hand goods to you to give a false name or false address. Unless otherwise stated, compliance is a legal requirement and failure to register may render you liable to a fine.

Contact

Trading Standards service, Directorate of City Operations, Neighbourhoods and Regulatory Services, Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH. Phone: (0191) 2116102. Email: tradingstandards@newcastle.gov.uk