Short answer: Ask to see their licence, which should be displayed at a site or carried by a collector, and check it against the public register of licensed dealers kept by the licensing authority, because a genuine dealer will not mind being checked, whereas anyone who is vague, refuses to show a licence or will not give a business name should be treated with caution.
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Site licences are required to be displayed at the premises, and collectors are expected to show theirs on request, so asking to see it is a normal request.
Check the public register
Licensing information is held in public registers, so you can usually look up a dealer’s name and licence status online or by contacting the council.
Treat evasiveness as a warning
A dealer who dodges questions about a licence, a business name or an address is giving you a good reason to take your scrap elsewhere.
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