The Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 has been introduced to reduce the rising tide of vehicle crime by reducing the opportunities to dispose of stolen vehicles.
The Act introduces powers to regulate the motor salvage industry and requires salvage operators to register with local authorities, keep records and for the police to have right of entry to premises without warrant.

Any person who carries on a business, as a motor salvage operator, must be registered with their local authority. If a motor salvage operator fails to register with the local authority they commit an offence, which carries, on summary conviction, a fine of up to £5000.
For the purposes of the Act a person is deemed to be carrying on a business as a motor salvage operator if he carries out a business, which consists:

a) wholly or partly in the recovery for re-use or sale of salvageable parts from motor vehicles and the subsequent sale or other disposal for scrap of the remainder of the vehicles concerned

b) wholly or mainly in the purchase of written-off vehicles and their subsequent repair and re-sale

c) wholly or mainly in the sale or purchase of motor vehicles which are to be the subject (whether immediately or on subsequent re-sale) of any of the activities in paragraph a) and b)

d) wholly or mainly in activities falling within paragraphs b) and c)

The cost of registration with Mid Suffolk District Council is £78 and expires after a period of 3 years. Any renewal of registration must be applied for before the expiry date.

The local authority has to be satisfied that any applicant is a fit and proper person to carry on the business as a motor salvage operator and will have regard to any convictions under this legislation and any offences of a description specified by the Secretary of State by order. The offences specified by the Secretary of State are listed under section 9 of the application form. The local authority will carry out a police check on all applicants. Registration may be refused if any applicant is deemed not to be a fit and proper person.

Motor Salvage Operator application form

An application form for registration may also be obtained by:

The application form , documentation and fee (cheques made payable to Mid Suffolk District Council) should be sent to the Environmental Health Section at the above address.

Full details of the requirements are contained in the Vehicles (Crime) Act, 2001, ISBN 0105403016 which is available at the County Library in Northgate Street, Ipswich or online via the HMSO website.

The Act may be purchased on line via the HMSO website website or The Stationery Office Ltd 0870 600 5522.