Boise, ID Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Before buying precious metals or gems for resale
- Hold period
- 7-day retention before resale
- Record retention
- 1 year, open to police inspection
- Background check
- 30-day investigation (5 days if itinerant)
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under BCC § 1-4-1
Summary
Boise requires anyone who buys used gold, silver, platinum, or gems for resale to get a City-issued precious metal dealer license, pass a police background check, and hold every purchased item for seven days.
The precious metal dealer shall retain all precious metals or gems purchased for a minimum of seven (7) days from the date of purchase. Until the expiration of this period, the dealer shall not sell, alter or dispose of a purchased item in whole or in part, or remove it from the City. All articles required to be held under this section shall be open to and made available for inspection by any law enforcement officer during normal business hours. (1952 Code § 5-20-07)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-31: Code current through: Ord. 20-26, passed 6-9-2026).
Full Breakdown
Boise licenses anyone who buys used gold, silver, platinum, or gems from the public for resale as a "precious metal dealer" under BCC Title 3, Chapter 9. The City Clerk orders a police background investigation before issuing the license: 30 days for an established dealer, 5 working days for an itinerant one. Dealers must check each seller's ID, log the item's description and the seller's name, address, and ID number, verify title to the goods, hold every purchase for seven days without selling or altering it, and keep the transaction record for a year. Licensed pawnbrokers, hobbyists, and bona fide trade-show transactions are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a license, skipping the ID check, destroying records early, or reselling within the 7-day hold is a misdemeanor under BCC § 1-4-1, plus license suspension or revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this license cover general secondhand stores like used furniture or electronics dealers?
How long must a dealer hold a purchased item before reselling it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boise
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