"How to sell used pallets", "can you sell used pallets" and "where can you sell used pallets" are each searched about 10 times a month in Australia, according to Ubersuggest. Pallets are a small business, and the first thing to check is whose they are. A large share of the pallets in Australian warehouses belong to pooling companies and cannot be sold by the businesses holding them. This guide explains the difference, which pallets can be sold, what buyers want and what to ask. The sources were a few pallet pool pages and buyer listings, so we found no grading standard and no Australian price, and we give none. It sits beside our guide to selling surplus stock. ScrapTrade runs a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.
Whose pallet is it?
Standard Australian pallets measure 1.165 metres square, and the market is dominated by the Loscam and CHEP pool systems alongside plain timber pallets, according to one source. In a pool, the pooling company tracks the pallets, and the receiver of a delivery exchanges pool pallets for pool pallets. Loscam's model, as one source describes it, is that if the receiver cannot provide an exchange pallet, they pay a fee in lieu, typically 30 to 50 dollars a pallet. Because pool pallets are moved by account transfer and exchange, in our reading they are not yours to sell, though none of our sources said outright that selling them is illegal.
A pallet buyer we found says it purchases high quality used standard, Euro and plastic pallets for resale, but does not accept CHEP (blue) or Loscam (red) pallets, nor any pallets that belong to a business and must be returned. So the sellable category is a plain pallet that does not belong to a pool or to anyone who needs it back. If you hold pool pallets, the answer is to return them through your account, and we did not research how.
Which pallets can be sold
- Plain timber pallets in the 1165 size. The standard size, and the easiest to resell.
- Other standard sizes, such as Euro pallets, and plastic pallets. The buyer we found takes them, if they are not pool property.
- Damaged or odd-sized pallets. Worth less, and some buyers will not take them. A US-oriented liquidation blog says resale values typically range from 2 to 15 dollars each, with damaged pallets lower, and we treat that as a rough overseas guide only.
What buyers look at
We found no Australian grading standard for used pallets, so ask each buyer how it grades. In our reading, buyers will care about size, the condition of the boards and stringers, whether they are clean and dry and how many you have. A seller with a regular supply, such as a warehouse or a manufacturer, is more interesting to a buyer than someone with a few. Photos and a count help.
Timber pallets for export
We did not research the rules for pallets used in export packaging, such as treatment markings, and we say nothing about them here. If your pallets are going overseas, or came from overseas, ask your freight agent or the buyer.
Questions to ask a buyer
- Which sizes and types do you take? And do you take pool pallets? Expect no.
- How do you grade, and what do you pay for each grade?
- Do you collect, and what is the minimum quantity?
- Do you pay for damaged or broken pallets? Or charge to remove them.
- How and when do you pay?
When pallets are scrap
Timber pallets are not scrap metal, and the metal in them, the nails, is small. A pallet with no buyer is waste timber, and we did not research disposal. Our guide to selling reclaimed timber and bricks covers timber contamination.
Where ScrapTrade fits
Pallets are not a scrap metal, and ScrapTrade is not the place to sell them. A business clearing a site that has sorted metals, motors or stock along with its pallets might list the scrap to verified buyers: it costs nothing to list, there is no commission, terms are agreed in chat and an accepted bid places the buyer's 5 percent deposit in escrow. Verified businesses and individuals can sell, and traders in more than 50 countries bid. We could not confirm that pallets are accepted, so ask cs@scraptrade.com.au if you want to check.
What we could not verify
- What any pallet sells for in Australia. The 2 to 15 dollar range is a US-oriented guide.
- Any grading standard.
- Australian rules on selling or returning pool pallets.
- Export pallet requirements.
- Whether ScrapTrade accepts pallets.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell CHEP or Loscam pallets?
They belong to the pooling company, and a buyer we found does not accept them. Return them through your account.
What size is a standard Australian pallet?
1.165 metres square, according to one source.
How much are used pallets worth?
We found no Australian price. A US-oriented blog says 2 to 15 dollars, with damaged ones lower.
Do buyers take broken pallets?
Some take only good ones, and prices are lower for damaged ones. Ask your buyer.
Can I list pallets on ScrapTrade?
It is a scrap marketplace. Ask support.
Sources
- Ubersuggest keyword data, Australia, queried November 2026.
- Loscam and CHEP pool descriptions, an Australian pallet buyer's page and a US-oriented liquidation blog, as summarised in search results.
- ScrapTrade website, accessed November 2026.
General information only, not legal advice. Pool terms differ, so check your agreement.