Suffolk County requires pawnbrokers, jewelers, scrap metal dealers, and other secondhand dealers to register with the police department and report transactions, helping investigators trace stolen property recovered across Long Island.
Under General Business Law Article 6 and Suffolk County Code provisions, dealers in secondhand articles, precious metals, and pawnshop loans must register with the Suffolk County Police Department or applicable town police, maintain transaction records, retain items for a holding period before resale, and submit electronic reports. Each transaction typically requires seller identification, item description, and a holding period of seven to fourteen days. Mobile secondhand buyers and traveling jewelry purchasers face heightened scrutiny. The state separately licenses pawnbrokers under General Business Law Article 5.
Dealing in secondhand goods without registration, failing to report transactions, or skipping holding periods exposes operators to misdemeanor charges, fines, and registration revocation by the police department.
See how Suffolk County's secondhand dealers rules stack up against other locations.
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