Yonkers's Business Licensing & Operations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles business licensing & operations a little differently. In Yonkers, New York, there are 7 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Pawnbrokers

Pawnbrokers in Yonkers must hold a Director-issued license costing $750 a year, post a $10,000 surety bond, and cannot charge more than 3% monthly interest on loans under $100 (2% above that) for the first six months.

Key details: Annual license fee: $750. Required surety bond: $10,000. Interest cap (loans up to $100): 3%/mo. first 6 mo.. Interest cap (loans over $100): 2%/mo. first 6 mo.. Pledge holding period before sale: 1 year.

Operating without a license, on unlicensed premises, or letting the required $10,000 bond lapse are violations of Chapter 26, a Class II offense under § 26-13; charging interest above the § 26-8 caps, buying secondhand goods as a pledge, or selling a pledge before the one-year hold period or without the required notice are separately actionable violations.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Yonkers actively enforces its pawnbrokers requirements.

Tobacco Retail License

Yonkers requires every retailer of cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes and other tobacco products to hold a cigarette dealer license from the Office of Licensing before opening. The license costs $200 a year per establishment, expires every January 31, and cannot transfer between owners or locations under City Code Chapter 31, Article XVII.

Key details: Annual license fee: $200 per establishment (§ 31-155). License expires: January 31 each year. Transferable: No, not between owners or locations. Covers: Cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, other tobacco. Issuing office: Director, Office of Licensing.

Operating as a cigarette, cigar or e-cigarette retail dealer without the required license, or otherwise violating Article XVII, is a Class II offense under § 31-157.1. Under the citywide penalty schedule at § 1-21, a Class II criminal offense carries a fine of $100 to $5,000, up to 15 days in jail, or both; the parallel civil penalty runs $250 to $5,000. The Director of the Office of Licensing can also suspend or revoke the license.

Secondhand Dealers

Yonkers requires anyone who commercially buys or sells secondhand goods, from jewelry and coins to general used merchandise, to hold a secondhand dealer license from the Office of Licensing. § 31-205 makes operating without one unlawful, and licensees must hold every purchased item at least 15 business days and cannot buy from anyone between midnight and 6 a.m.

Key details: Annual license fee: $250 per location (§ 31-208). Required insurance: $10,000 certificate naming the City. Resale hold period: 15 business days before reselling item. Buying hours ban: No purchases 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.. Minimum seller age: Cannot buy from anyone under 18.

Acting as an unlicensed secondhand dealer, or otherwise violating Article XXVI, is a Class II offense under § 31-213, except violating the § 31-209.2 recordkeeping requirement, which is a Class I offense. Citywide, § 1-21 sets Class I fines from $250 to $10,000 or up to a year in jail; Class II fines run $100 to $5,000 or up to 15 days. The Director can also refuse, suspend or revoke the license under § 31-209.1.

Towing Companies

Yonkers caps private-property towing at 190 citywide licenses issued by the Police Commissioner. Towing an unauthorized car from a private or public lot requires a $250 annual City Clerk permit for the premises plus a posted three-by-three-foot sign disclosing the towing and storage fees.

Key details: Lot towing permit fee: $250 annual, per premises. Posted towing fee cap: $50 maximum. Posted storage fee cap: $15 per 24 hours. Citywide passenger tow cap: $350 max charge. Citywide license cap: 190 towing licenses.

Towing from a lot without the $250 premises permit, tow by an unlicensed operator, or charging above the $50 towing/$15 storage fee caps on signage (or above the $350/$75 citywide maximums) is unlawful under § 111-21 and enforced as a Class II offense under § 111-35, punishable through the Police Department per § 111-36. The Police Commissioner may suspend or revoke a tow license for 30 days up to one year for any chapter violation after a five-day-notice hearing under § 111-25, with appeal to the Police License Appeals Board within 30 days.

This is one of the stricter rules in Yonkers's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Auto Repair on Residential Property

Yonkers zoning flatly excludes automobile repair from what counts as a lawful home occupation. Residents may run a quiet accessory occupation out of a dwelling under strict rules, but Section 43-8's definition of home occupation expressly carves out automobile repair servicing or body shop, so no home-occupation permit can ever cover fixing cars for pay at a residence.

Key details: Governing definition: Section 43-8, 'HOME OCCUPATION'. Excluded use: Automobile repair servicing or body shop. Legal alternative: Commercial 'automobile repair shop' use. Commercial siting rule: 200 ft from church, hospital, school. Violation class: Class II offense, Section 43-153A.

Operating a repair business from a home is enforced the same way as any other unpermitted zoning use: the Bureau of Housing and Buildings can deny or revoke the certificate of occupancy for the accessory use and order the activity stopped. A violation of the Zoning Ordinance is a Class II offense under Section 43-153A, punishable by a fine of $100 to $5,000 or up to 15 days in jail under Section 1-21A(2), and Corporation Counsel may also sue for an injunction under Section 43-153C.

Compared to other cities, Yonkers takes a harder line on auto repair on residential property. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Tattoo & Body Modification

Yonkers zoning treats a tattoo parlor as a personal service establishment but layers on one hard spacing rule: no tattoo establishment may sit within 500 feet of another tattoo establishment. The distance is measured lot line to lot line under Section 43-8's definitions, so the limit applies citywide wherever the underlying use is permitted.

Key details: Separation distance: 500 feet from another tattoo shop. Measured from: Lot line to lot line. Zoning classification: Personal service establishment. Governing section: Section 43-8 definitions. Violation class: Class II offense, Section 43-153A.

Opening or operating a tattoo establishment within 500 feet of another, without qualifying for whatever nonconforming-use protection applies, is a zoning violation under Section 43-153, a Class II offense under Section 1-21A(2) carrying a fine of $100 to $5,000 or up to 15 days in jail. The Commissioner of Housing and Buildings can refuse to issue the certificate of occupancy or use permit needed to open, and an existing shop found in violation can be ordered to cease operating.

Adult Entertainment

In Yonkers, a sexually-oriented business needs a special use permit and must sit at least 500 feet from any residence zone, school, place of worship, place of public assembly, or another adult use, measured lot line to lot line.

Key details: Separation distance: 500 feet from sensitive uses. Permit: Special use permit required. Adult-use clustering: 500 feet from another such use. Live performances: Also need Chapter 23 cabaret license. Citation: Yonkers City Code § 43-74G.

Running a sexually-oriented business without a special use permit, or opening one within 500 feet of a residence zone, school, house of worship, public assembly, or another adult use, violates the Zoning Code and draws penalties and injunction.

Compared to other cities, Yonkers takes a harder line on adult entertainment. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Yonkers is tougher than many cities when it comes to business licensing & operations. Out of the 7 rules covered here, 4 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Yonkers, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Yonkers can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.