Albemarle County, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

1-4100. Sec. 12-201 makes it unlawful to engage in the activities of a dealer without first obtaining a permit from the Chief of Police, and Sec. 12-202 requires the dealer to file an application and pay the state-set application fee. Sec. 12-203 makes the permit a nontransferable personal privilege that must be displayed prominently on the business premises, and Sec. 12-204 voids any permit obtained through a knowingly false statement. Before receiving a permit, Sec. 00 payable to the county, secured by a corporate surety, or in the alternative to obtain a bank letter of credit in the same amount; a single bond or letter of credit can cover an employer's employees and all transactions at one location.

Sec. 12-208 requires the dealer to keep an accurate record of every purchase, including a description of the items, price, date, time and place, the seller's full name, address, phone numbers, date of birth, physical description, government-issued photo identification, a statement of ownership, and a digital image of the seller's ID; one copy of the bill of sale must reach the Chief of Police within 24 hours of the purchase. Sec. 12-210 bars a dealer from buying from a seller under 18 or from anyone the dealer believes is not the true owner without written authorization.

Sec. 12-211 requires the dealer to hold every purchased item unaltered and unsold for at least 15 calendar days after filing the bill of sale, and Sec. 12-207 makes a first violation of the article a class 2 misdemeanor and a subsequent violation a class 1 misdemeanor, with the Chief of Police empowered to revoke a dealer's permit for one year after a first conviction and two years after a second.