Arlington secondhand dealers and pawn shops must register with APD, photograph and report all purchased items daily through the LeadsOnline system, and hold inventory for at least 15 days to allow stolen-property recovery.
Arlington Code Chapter 4 regulates secondhand dealers including pawn shops, gold buyers, and electronics resellers. Operators must register with the Arlington Police Department, fingerprint owners and employees, and submit daily transaction reports through LeadsOnline or a comparable database accessible to detectives. Each transaction must record seller ID, photograph the merchandise, and capture serial numbers. Items must be held intact for at least 15 days before resale or melting, allowing investigators to recover stolen goods. Texas Finance Code Chapter 371 separately licenses pawnshops through the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner.
Failure to report transactions or holding period violations are Class A misdemeanors. APD may revoke registration, seize merchandise, and pursue criminal charges. Pawnshops face additional state license revocation under Finance Code 371.
See how other cities in Tarrant County handle secondhand dealers.
See how Arlington's secondhand dealers rules stack up against other locations.
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