Queensland sends more scrap metal overseas by weight than any other state, and in October 2026 its Parliament passed new laws aimed at metal theft. For anyone selling scrap in Brisbane, Ipswich or elsewhere in the state, the practical questions are what the yard may ask of you today, what is about to change and how to judge an offer. This guide answers them from Queensland Government sources and the Australian Government's export data. It lists no local prices, because we could not source current ones. ScrapTrade runs a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.
What applies today
Scrap metal buyers in Queensland are regulated as second-hand dealers under the Second-hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 2003. The Government's guidance, last updated in July 2026 and so written before the reforms passed, says a dealer needs a licence from the Office of Fair Trading, must trade from licensed premises, must check the seller's identification and record their name and address, and keeps a register of goods received. Precious metals are held for seven working days. The Department of Justice says the current licensing rules in effect restrict the sale of scrap to licensed people, and that a searchable register of licensed dealers is online. We have not seen a cash ban in the current rules.
What the October 2026 reforms are expected to change
On 15 October 2026 the Government said Parliament had passed legislation with stricter identification and record-keeping for scrap dealers and higher penalties for failing to report suspected stolen property. The statement gave no start date. The Department of Justice's response to submissions on the Bill, which describes it as introduced, points to photographic ID for scrap sales, a record of every transaction regardless of value and a new offence of possessing a prescribed metal item that is reasonably suspected of being stolen. It says the Bill does not ban cash. We could not read the Act as passed, so treat this as the direction of travel and not as the law.
Before you sell
- Ask the buyer what ID they need, and bring a photo ID.
- Check the buyer appears on the licensed dealers register.
- Keep proof the metal is yours: an invoice, a job record or a removal notice.
- Record the sale yourself: date, material, weight, buyer and how you were paid. A bank transfer leaves a record where cash does not.
Testing an offer
Queensland yards, like those elsewhere, build a rate from a metal benchmark, then adjust for grade and take off for contamination and handling. The copper and aluminium benchmark is the London Metal Exchange price in Australian dollars, which our benchmark guide converts. Turn an offer into a percentage of that figure and ask each buyer what comes off. No sourced typical percentage exists for any grade, so the comparison that counts is between buyers. See how to check a scrap yard's copper offer.
Where Queensland's scrap goes
In 2025-26 Queensland declared 858,638 tonnes of metal scrap for export, 28.2% of the national total and the largest share of any state. The figure is provisional, and declared values are border declarations, not prices. The Port of Brisbane loaded 79.5% of the state's tonnes, followed by Mackay, Gladstone, Townsville and Cairns. Bangladesh took 34.8% and Indonesia 21.1%. Ferrous scrap was 87% of the tonnes but 36% of the declared value, while aluminium and copper together were 13% of the tonnes and 53% of the value. For a seller, that is the reason sorting matters: non-ferrous metal is worth many times more per kilogram than steel. The state guide, Scrap Metal in Queensland: Rules and Data, goes further.
Selling through ScrapTrade
Sorted loads from a job site or a clear-out are the better fit for ScrapTrade: listing is free, there is no commission and verified buyers bid and negotiate in chat. Once a bid is accepted the buyer's 5% deposit sits in escrow. Individuals and businesses can both sell after verification, while small amounts are quicker to drop at a yard. The platform does not advise on Queensland law, so put your questions to the Office of Fair Trading. Browse the marketplace to see listings.
What we could not verify
- Current yard prices anywhere in Queensland.
- The start date, final text and penalty amounts of the October 2026 reforms.
- Whether the seven day holding rule for scrap remains.
- Whether any cash rule will be added by regulation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need ID to sell scrap in Queensland?
Yes. The dealer must check your identification and record your name and address, and the reforms point to photo ID.
Is cash banned for scrap in Queensland?
We have not seen a ban in the current rules, and the Department says the Bill does not add one.
When do the new scrap laws start?
The Government's statement gave no start date. Ask the Office of Fair Trading.
How much scrap does Queensland export?
858,638 tonnes in 2025-26, provisionally, with a declared value of A$1,131.6 million.
Sources
- Queensland Government, Legal requirements for second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers (updated July 2026).
- Queensland Government ministerial statement on metal theft reforms, 15 October 2026.
- Queensland Department of Justice, response to submissions on the Justice and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026, as summarised in search results.
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, waste exports data, September 2026, ScrapTrade calculations. 2025-26 provisional.
General information only, not legal advice. Confirm the current rules with the Office of Fair Trading.