For aspiring traders

Two very different businesses both get called "starting in scrap"

Most guides on this topic are actually about opening a physical scrap yard, with real estate, shredders, and a five-figure budget before you've bought a single load. That is one real path. Becoming a scrap trader, buying and selling material without owning the processing infrastructure, is a different and considerably cheaper one, and it's the one this page focuses on.

KYC-Verified Traders

GPS-Verified Listings

Escrow-Protected Payments

Live Material Pricing

Seller & Buyer Support

The problem

"Every guide I find assumes I'm opening a yard"

"I looked up how to start a scrap business and every result talks about leasing industrial land and buying a shredder. I just want to start buying and selling material, not build a processing plant."

That confusion is fair, because "starting a scrap business" genuinely covers two different businesses with very different costs. Search results skew toward the physical yard version because it's the more established, more documented path. The trading version is just as real, but rarely gets its own guide.

Two paths, side by side

Requirement	Opening a scrap yard	Becoming a scrap trader
Physical premises	Industrial-zoned land, often 10,000+ square feet	Not required
Equipment	Shredders, balers, scales, trucks	Not required to start
Licensing	Scrap dealer or processor license, environmental permits	Varies by jurisdiction if operating as a registered business; not required for individual sellers
Typical startup cost	Commonly tens of thousands, before your first purchase	Registration is free
What you're actually doing	Buying, storing, sorting, processing, and reselling material	Buying and selling material you source, without owning the processing step

Startup cost figures for a physical yard vary widely by country and scale, commonly running into the tens of thousands once land, equipment, and permits are accounted for. Treat any specific figure you see as a rough industry pattern, not a quote for your situation.

Not sure what your first sourced load is actually worth? Check live pricing before you buy or sell it on.

Check live prices

How it works

Getting started as a trader, step by step

Register and verify

A free account and KYC identity verification is the only formal step required to begin. If you plan to operate as a registered business, a verified business badge is available once your registration is confirmed.
Start with what you can source or already have access to

Many traders start small, buying and reselling a single material category they understand well, rather than trying to cover every metal type from day one.
Build a visible trading history

Recurring listings and completed deals build a track record other traders can see, which matters more over time than any single transaction.

Trust, and the honest limitation

"Do I need a license to do this?"

It depends on what you're actually doing, and where

Buying and selling occasional scrap as an individual generally doesn't require a special license in most places. Operating as a registered scrap dealing business is a different question, and licensing requirements vary significantly by country, state, and even city. ScrapTrade doesn't issue or verify trade licenses, and this page isn't legal advice. If you're building a real business rather than trading casually, checking your local regulatory requirements before scaling up is worth doing early, not after the fact.

The offer, plainly stated

What's included, and the next step

Cost to register	Free, including KYC verification.
Cost to trade	No listing fee. A disclosed commission applies only to completed sales.
What's included	Fixed price, auction, and Wanted Board access, live pricing, a verified business badge option, and seller and buyer support.
What's not included	Business licensing and regulatory compliance, which remain your responsibility.
Next step	Register, verify your identity, and list your first sourced material.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a scrap dealer license to trade on ScrapTrade?

Individual sellers clearing scrap do not need a dealer license to use the platform. If you intend to operate as a registered scrap dealing business, licensing requirements vary by country and region, and you are responsible for confirming what applies to you locally.

Do I need my own yard or trucks to start trading scrap?

No, not to start as a trader on ScrapTrade. You need a way to source and move material you buy or collect, but you are not required to own processing equipment, a shredder, or a licensed yard simply to list, buy, and sell.

How is trading on ScrapTrade different from running a scrap yard?

A scrap yard buys, stores, sorts, processes, and resells material, which requires real estate, equipment, and typically tens of thousands in startup capital. Trading on ScrapTrade means listing, buying, and selling material you source, without owning the processing infrastructure yourself.

What does a verified business badge actually do?

It signals to other traders that your account is tied to a registered business, which builds a visible trading history over time and can make buyers and sellers more comfortable dealing with you at volume.

Start trading without the yard

Registration is free. Verify your identity once and start buying and selling material today.