The law, explained
Can you get cash for scrap metal in Victoria?
No, and not from any yard in the state. Here is what the law says, why it changed, and what you get instead: paid on the spot, while you are still standing in the yard.
- Open till 6:30pm weekdays
- Weighed in front of you
- Paid on the spot
Straight answer
It is illegal for any Victorian yard to pay cash for scrap metal.
Not a company policy, not us being difficult, and not something a different yard will do for you. Victoria banned it across the entire scrap metal and vehicle recycling industry, and every dealer in the state is under the same rule.
Here is the part that matters to you, though. Almost nobody searching for this actually wants notes. They want to be paid now, and not be chased for it, and not be put on thirty days by a yard that has already got their metal. That you can absolutely have.
You are paid the moment the weight is agreed, while you are still at the yard. Same day, same visit, done before you drive out.
Payment goes straight into your bank account, so bring your account details along with your photo identification.
Call 0452 220 422What happens instead
Three steps, and you are paid before you leave.
This is the whole process at our scrap metal recycling yard in Braybrook. There is no invoice, no account to set up and nobody to ring next week.
- 01
Bring it to the yard
Drop it at the Braybrook yard, open until 6:30pm on weekdays and 5pm on Saturday, with any amount. No appointment needed in opening hours, and other times by arrangement. Factories and industrial sites can book a pickup instead.
- 02
It is weighed in front of you
Your load goes on the scales where you are standing, and you read the figure yourself. You get the weight on a docket before money is discussed.
- 03
You are paid on the spot
Not on terms, not on an invoice, not next week. You are paid before you leave the yard.
Why it changed
Untraceable money was what made metal theft worth doing.
Copper off a building site, wiring stripped out of a vacant house, catalytic converters cut off cars overnight. All of it was easy to turn into money that left no trail, which is what made it worth stealing in the first place.
So Victoria amended the Second-Hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act to require that every scrap transaction be traceable, that every seller be identified, and that dealers keep records police can inspect. It applies to scrap vehicles as well as metal.
The effect on an honest seller is about two minutes of admin and photo identification. The effect on somebody moving stolen copper is that the money now has their name attached to it, which was the point.
Consumer Affairs Victoria sets out the rules for sellers and dealers at consumer.vic.gov.au .
Worth knowing
If a yard offers you notes, it is an offence for you too.
This is the bit that catches people out. The ban is not only on the dealer handing it over, it is on the seller accepting it. Somebody who turns up with a trailer of clean copper and walks away with an envelope has committed an offence, whatever the yard told them at the counter.
And it is worth sitting with the wider question for a second. A yard that is willing to break that rule in front of you is the same yard about to weigh your load, grade it, and tell you what it came to. You have no way of checking either number. The willingness to cut one corner is not usually confined to one corner.
Everything here is done the way it is supposed to be. Weighed where you are standing, graded in front of you, weight written on a docket before money is mentioned, and paid before you leave.
Reviews
What people actually say.
Every one of these is a real review on our Google profile, word for word. Click any of them and check.
See all reviews on Google- Tom Ison
Read Tom Ison's review on GoogleDawood is one of the nicest lads you’ll meet. Clearly communicated on the phone and was a pleasure to deal with. Had to get rid of these wheels asap and he took care of me with a fair payment.
Would highly recommend his service, easy and straightforward.
- Ben Salads
Read Ben Salads's review on GoogleGood experience, good customers service, best prices for scrap coppers in Melbourne. On the spot payments.
Good people
- Luc Tran
Read Luc Tran's review on GoogleGreat service, fast service, no issues, good pricing, They paid instantly and much better rate than other metal recyclers yard across Melbourne,
- Nathan Barca
Read Nathan Barca's review on GoogleWas looking for a scrap metal place and couldn’t find one that dealt with small amounts, Dawood from Metalplus was very quick honest and helpful, i am definitely coming back.
- Syafiq Azroy
Read Syafiq Azroy's review on GoogleI recently had an old accident-damaged car that I needed to get rid of while I was in Bendigo. After searching on Google, I found MetalPlus in Melbourne, and I’m really glad I chose them.
The whole process was smooth and hassle-free. They were professional, easy to deal with, and offered me a fair price for my car. When I dropped the car off, everything was handled quickly, and I received my payment without any issues.
I’m very happy with the service I received and would definitely recommend MetalPlus to anyone looking to sell a scrap or unwanted car. Great experience overall!
- Joseph Robinson
Read Joseph Robinson's review on GoogleGreat service, best copper price in the market Dawood helped heaps Will be back
- Max Bruton
Read Max Bruton's review on GoogleGreat service, great prices with reliability and easy to work with attitude. Will definitely be back for future business.
- Arthur Lamaris
Read Arthur Lamaris's review on GoogleGreat service. Efficient and payment received on the spot. Couldn’t recommend higher.
- Mark Killmister
Read Mark Killmister's review on GoogleFriendly staff extremely helpful good money paid for Scrap!!! highly recommend
- Benji Hibberd
Read Benji Hibberd's review on GoogleVery good service top bloke looks after his customers great experience
Been in and had a good run? A review takes a minute and it genuinely helps. Leave one here, or just ring 0452 220 422.
Questions
The questions people actually ask.
Mostly asked at the counter, in roughly this order.
Call 0452 220 422Can I get cash for scrap metal in Victoria?
No, and not from any yard in the state. The law was changed to prohibit it across the whole industry, and it is an offence for the seller as well as the dealer. What you can get is paid on the spot, before you drive out, which is what most people actually wanted.
Why did the law change?
To make metal theft harder to profit from. Untraceable payments made stolen metal easy to move, so Victoria required every transaction to be traceable and every seller to be identified. Police were given wider powers to inspect dealers at the same time.
A yard down the road offered me notes. What is going on?
They are breaking the law, and if you take it so are you. It is also worth asking yourself what else a yard prepared to do that is prepared to do, given you are about to trust them to weigh your load and tell you what it graded as.
When do I actually get paid?
The moment you agree the weight, before you leave the yard. Not on terms, not on an invoice, and not next week.
What do I need to bring?
Photo identification. Recording seller identification is a legal requirement for every dealer in Victoria, so no yard can skip it.
Do I get less because it is not settled in notes?
No. The rate is the rate, and it comes off the weight and the grade. Anyone telling you there is a better price for an untraceable transaction is telling you something about themselves.
Got metal sitting there doing nothing?
Ring us and we will tell you what it is worth and whether it is worth bringing in. Takes two minutes and it costs you nothing to ask.