Second Hand Dealer's Licences
Anyone carrying on the business as a dealer in certain types of second hand goods must hold a licence for the local licensing authority, North Ayrshire Council.
The types of goods for which a licence is required are:- cycles, antiques, electrical goods (including domestic appliances, television, video, radio, audio and amplifying and public address equipment), photographic equipment, sports equipment, musical instruments and equipment, jewellery, pictures and objects d'art, office furniture and equipment,(including computers, word processors, typewriters and associated software and accessories), items of plant and industrial machinery and equipment, mobile phones, computer games, computer games consoles and digital versatile disks (DVDs).
A licence is also required to deal in second hand motor vehicles, vehicle parts or accessories, this is a Second Hand Motor Vehicle Licence. The application form and notes can be downloaded using the link below.
You must not be disqualified from holding a licence and you must be fit to be the holder of a licence.
The premises or vehicle you use to deal in second hand goods must be suitable for that purpose.
A Second Hand Dealer's Licence is not required for:
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The business of a pawnbroker (that is to say a person who, under a regulated agreement under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, takes an article in pawn)
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A business as a wholesale dealer purchasing exclusively from second hand dealers licensed under this Act
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A business which is charitable for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts
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A business as a dealer is second-hand goods or articles incidentally to another business not being that of a dealer in such goods or articles
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A business either of financing the acquisition of goods by means of higher purchases agreements, conditional sale agreements or credit sale agreements (as defined in Section 189(1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974) or of financing the use of goods by means of hiring agreements
Alternatively, an application pack can be obtained using the contact details on the right of this page.
Completed application forms should also be sent to the contact details at the right of this page. The application form should be accompanied by the non refundable fee.
On receipt of the completed documents, the application will be circulated to all consultees listed on the front of the form and some of the consultees will carry out an inspection of the premises (if applicable). It will also be advertised on the Council's website to allow for members of the public to lodge any objections or representations to the issue of the licence.
If there are no objections, the licence will be issued for a period of 3 years from the date of issue.
It is in the public interest that North Ayrshire Council must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from the Licensing Office within a reasonable period, please contact us. You can do this using the contact details to the right of this page.
Please note that the application process may take up to 8 weeks.
For 2010/2011 the fee for a new Second Hand Dealer's licence is £210. These fees are subject to annual review.