MSTC Seller Registration: How to List & Sell

MSTC Seller Registration: How to List & Sell Through MSTC

MSTC Limited (Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited) has run e-auction and e-sale services for sellers since 2002, and today handles disposal of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, surplus stores, obsolete plant and machinery, hazardous waste, mining leases, bank NPA assets, and more — on behalf of government departments, PSUs, banks, and private companies. “Seller registration” on MSTC works differently from buyer registration, though, because MSTC’s seller base is structured quite differently from its buyer base. This page explains who registers as a seller, how the process works for each pathway, and what to expect around costs.

Who Registers as a Seller on MSTC — Two Different Pathways

MSTC’s platform is built primarily to serve institutional sellers, but there is also a narrower, direct pathway for individuals in specific verticals. It’s important to know which one applies to you before you look for a “seller registration” form:

• Institutional sellers — government departments, Ministries (Power, Coal, Mines, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Defence, and others), central and state PSUs, public sector banks disposing of NPA assets, and approved private-sector corporations disposing of surplus, scrap, or obsolete assets. These sellers engage MSTC as their e-auction service provider under a formal arrangement/agreement rather than through a simple self-service online form — MSTC effectively runs the auction on the seller’s behalf, using its own bidder base and infrastructure.
• Individual/direct sellers in specific verticals — a documented example is the sale of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). Here, an individual owner can register directly as a seller through a simplified, OTP-verified online process to have their vehicle scrapped and sold through MSTC’s registered channel (including via CERO, MSTC’s joint-venture vehicle scrapping facility).

If you’re a private company with scrap, surplus material, or obsolete assets to dispose of — not a government body or PSU — you may fall into either category depending on the specific auction vertical and how the sale is structured; this is worth confirming with MSTC or an advisor before assuming which route applies.

Registration Process for Institutional Sellers

For government departments, PSUs, and large private companies, becoming an MSTC seller typically involves engaging MSTC as an e-auction/e-sale service provider rather than filling out a public online seller form. In practice this means:

1. Establishing a formal arrangement or service agreement with MSTC for auction/e-sale services covering the relevant asset category (scrap, surplus stores, plant & machinery, mining lease, NPA property, etc.).
2. Providing MSTC with the asset details, valuation basis, reserve price, and any special terms specific to the lot(s) being auctioned.
3. MSTC preparing and publishing the auction catalogue, Notice Inviting Auction/Tender, and the lot-specific Special Terms & Conditions (STC) that govern EMD, bidding, and payment for that sale.
4. MSTC running the e-auction on its portal, drawing on its registered buyer base across the relevant category.
5. Post-auction settlement, where the successful bidder’s EMD and payment are processed and the seller receives proceeds as per the agreed terms.

Because this pathway is built around an institutional agreement rather than a standard web form, the exact onboarding steps, documentation, and timeline depend on the specific department/PSU and asset category involved — this is best confirmed directly with MSTC’s relevant regional office or your auctioning department.

Registration Process for Individual/Direct Sellers (Example: Vehicle Scrap)

For verticals that do accept individual sellers directly, the online process follows a pattern similar to buyer registration:

1. Visit mstcecommerce.com and locate the relevant seller registration option for that vertical (for example, “Register as Individual Seller” for end-of-life vehicles).
2. Read and accept the Terms of Sale applicable to individual sellers/owners for that category.
3. Enter your email and mobile number and verify both via an OTP-based system.
4. Complete the seller registration form with your details, and create your User ID and password.
5. Enter the asset-specific details required (for vehicle scrap, this includes vehicle registration and ownership details).
6. Submit for verification; once verified, your asset can be listed for e-auction through MSTC’s registered channel for that vertical.

This direct pathway is currently documented for specific categories (vehicle scrapping is the clearest example) rather than being a universal “sell anything” option — confirm whether your asset category has an equivalent direct-seller route before assuming it applies.

A Related but Different Path: E-Procurement Supplier/Vendor Registration

It’s worth distinguishing seller registration (listing an asset for e-auction) from supplier/vendor registration under MSTC’s e-procurement services, which is a separate function launched in 2012. E-procurement lets vendors register to supply goods/services to MSTC and the government departments/PSUs that use MSTC’s procurement portal — this is the reverse commercial relationship from being an auction seller. That registration process generally involves visiting the e-procurement section of the portal, selecting “supplier,” accepting the terms, completing an online form, and submitting documents such as a notarised PAN card copy, notarised GST/tax registration certificate, a bank certificate, and passport-size photographs of the authorised representative to MSTC’s office for verification. Registration alone doesn’t guarantee participation — only vendors meeting the specific tender’s eligibility criteria are activated for that opportunity.

How Lots Get Listed and Auctioned

Once a seller relationship (institutional) or individual seller account (direct pathway) is active, assets are listed as lots with a published catalogue, valuation/reserve price where applicable, and a lot-specific STC covering EMD, bid increments, and payment terms. MSTC’s registered buyer base for that category can then view the catalogue and bid within the scheduled window, exactly as covered in our guide to MSTC buyer registration.

Commission and Service Charges

MSTC does not publish a single, universal commission or service-charge percentage for sellers — the fee structure for institutional sellers is set out in the specific service agreement between MSTC and the department/PSU/company concerned, and can vary by asset category and volume. Some category-specific documentation refers to MSTC deducting its service charges from the buyer’s pre-bid EMD (forwarded to the seller net of MSTC’s charges) as per the governing agreement, which indicates charges are agreement-specific rather than a flat published rate. If commission structure is a deciding factor for you, this needs to be confirmed directly with MSTC as part of onboarding rather than assumed from a generic figure.

Get Onboarded as an MSTC Seller Correctly

Because the seller side of MSTC works through negotiated institutional arrangements for most categories — and only a handful of verticals offer a direct, self-service seller registration — figuring out the right pathway, the documentation MSTC will expect, and how commission/service charges will apply is not always straightforward from the portal alone. Leegal advises companies, PSUs, and institutions on structuring their MSTC seller relationship, including documentation and coordination with MSTC’s regional offices. If you have scrap, surplus assets, or obsolete machinery to dispose of through MSTC, get in touch with Leegal to get the right process moving.