Scrap Metal Laws By State

Washington Scrap Metal Laws

Payment Restrictions:

Washington has special payment restrictions, see the legal mandates below. Nexus handles ALL payment restrictions automatically. For instance, if a material can only be paid by check, Nexus will disable CASH & ATM buttons and only allow the operator to generate a check, which Nexus generates and prints for you.

Fingerprinting:

Washington requires fingerprints, but may vary by county. Nexus does this automatically for you and keeps fingerprints on file for each customer/driver forever!

Video Recording:

Washington requires facilities to record video using security cameras. Nexus tracks time, dates and weights for each material -- making locating a video for law enforcement extremely easy!

Tag and Hold:

Washington requires yards to tag-and-hold certain materials for a period of time to give law enforcement time to locate possibly stolen material matching that description. Once tag-and-hold expires, the material can be recycled. Nexus handles all of this scheduling for you -- 100% automated with no manual input required.

License Scanning:

Washington requires each customers drivers license, ID card, consulate ID or passport to be scanned and kept on file. Nexus automates this process by taking a picture of the license, scanning all the data, letting you know when it expires and keeping it on file forever!

Vehicle Descriptions:

Washington requires every purchase of scrap metal to also have the customer or drivers vehicle information recorded as part of the transaction. Nexus keeps track of every vehicle for you, as well as the number of occupants!

Taking Photographs of Materials:

Washington requires that each material/purchase have a snapshot image to be taken while the material is being weighed. Nexus does this automatically, unlike other systems, your employees won't have to click any buttons or do anything manually to capture images.

Taking Photographs of Customers Faces:

Washington requires a photograph to be taken of the customers face at the time of payout. Nexus does this automatically, unlike other systems, your employees won't have to click any buttons or do anything manually to capture images.

Notify Law Enforcement:

Washington does not require law enforcement notification.

NMVTIS Reporting:

ALL STATES, not just Washington are required to report vehicle purchases to NMVTIS through services like Add123.com or Nexus' integrated reporting system. Failure to report vehicles results in a $1,500 fine PER VEHICLE by the federal government. Nexus handles vehicle purchases, VIN number decoding and NMVTIS reporting automatically!

Legal Mandates

Updated January 2014

***Changes Effective January 1, 2014.

State Requirements

In order to sell scrap metal, sellers will be required to:

· Agree to allow photocopy of driver's license or state ID card;

· Sign a statement indicating that they are the owner of or are authorized to sell the metal;

· Sign a statement that they have not been convicted of metal theft (Statement must include "I, the undersigned, affirm under penalty of law that the property that is subject to this transaction is not to the best of my knowledge stolen property." The declaration must be signed and dated by the person with whom the transaction is being made. An employee of the scrap metal business must witness the signing and dating of the declaration and sign the declaration accordingly before any transaction may be consummated.)

· Allow the buyer to take a thumbprint;

Buyer’s must:

Record description, state and license plate number of sellers vehicle used to transport scrap
Keep a record of sellers name, address, and telephone number.
All sales tickets must have date and time of the sale, as well as the location and name of the clerk completing the sale.
- Must also show the type, weight, quantity and/or volume of the material.
- Sales tickets must also show the dollar amount paid for the material.
- Sales tickets must be signed by the seller. Seller will receive a copy of the receipt and buyer will retain a copy.

· Buyer must report purchased vehicle information to NMVTIS

· Tag and hold policies are in effect for a minimum of 10 days

NOTE: All purchases over the amount of $30 must be paid for with a non-transferrable check which will be mailed to the seller’s home after a holding period of 10 days.

***Any persons selling scrap metal more than 12 times in a 12-month period must obtain a license.

***The buyer must pay by check after a 3-day waiting period unless video or photograph of the seller and the material are taken and held, in that case payment on the day of the transaction is allowed.

Recyclers cannot buy materials from the same customer more than once per day. No transaction involving private metal property or nonferrous metal property valued at greater than thirty dollars may be made in cash or with any person who does not provide a street address.

Sales records must give a description of the material sold, plus YOU MUST INCLUDE THE ISRI's code word, or equivalent along with your description of the material. Example.: Yellow Brass - HONEY Radiators-OCEAN e t c. .

No scrap metal business may enter into a transaction to purchase or receive metallic wire that was burned in whole or in part to remove insulation unless the seller can produce written proof to the scrap metal business that the wire was lawfully burned or lawfully recovered from a burned structure.

No scrap metal business may purchase or receive beer kegs from anyone except a distributor or manufacturer of beer kegs or licensed brewery.

It is unlawful to knowingly purchase metal property from a person who has been convicted of any crimes relating to drugs, theft, robbery, burglary and/or possession of stolen property in the past 10 years.

***Keep records, certifications, registrations, etc. on site for 5 years.

Scrap recyclers must maintain a record of all purchases for a minimum of two years and is subject to inspection by any law enforcement at any time. There is a 10-day tag-and-hold policy when notified by law enforcement to do so.

Links to Other Important Information for Washington Salvage/Recycling

Auto-Parts Salvage/Recycling

· Tires - Storage of more than 800 scrap tires and hauling more than 5 scrap tires requires a state license. Enforcement happens at the county health department level and can vary from county to county. For more information on the current status of scrap tire management in Washington State, consult the Scrap Tire Report published in December 2002 by the Washington State Department of Ecology, Solid Waste and Financial Assistance Program and the Washington Department of Ecology's Waste Tire Overview Web site.

· State Bill 5312: What Washington State requires of all recyclers http://www.co.grant.wa.us/sheriff/Misc_Files/PDF/Metal-Theft-Recycler-Booklet.pdf

· Washington State laws, rules and regulations regarding scrap yards and recyclers can be found at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=19.290&full=true#19.290.020

o http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=19.290&full=true

*** http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2013-14/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1552.pdf.