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Clackamas County, OR Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Permit issuer
Sheriff's Office
Permit term
1 year, nontransferable
Holding period
30 full days
Exempt sales
garage, yard, estate sales
Exempt sale limit
4 per year, under 72 hrs
Denial ground
theft or fraud conviction
Appeal window
10 days to Hearings Officer

Summary

Anyone buying and reselling used goods in unincorporated Clackamas County, from resale shops to used electronics dealers, needs a Secondhand Dealer's Permit from the Sheriff's Office before opening. Advertising or holding yourself out as buying regulated property is enough to trigger the requirement. Permits run one year, cover a single fixed location, and require a notarized application, fee, and background check.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Clackamas County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

No person shall act as a Secondhand Dealer in Clackamas County without a valid Secondhand Dealer's Permit issued by the Sheriff's Office. Any person or business that advertises or otherwise holds themself out to be acquiring or offering for sale regulated property within Clackamas County will be presumed to be operating as a Secondhand Dealer subject to the terms of this chapter.

View official code

Full Breakdown

010). 060). 050(C)). 050(E)). 090). 030(D)).

Violations & Fines

Operating without a permit, refusing to collect required ID and thumbprints, failing to hold regulated property for the mandatory 30 days, or continuing to deal after a suspension or revocation is a County Code violation punishable by a fine the Board of County Commissioners sets by resolution (8.03.110(B)). The Sheriff can issue a citation on the spot, and a dealer has 10 days to pay or appeal to the Hearings Officer (8.03.120).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to run occasional garage sales?
No. Garage sales, yard sales, flea markets, and estate sales are exempt from Secondhand Dealer permitting as long as no single sale runs longer than 72 consecutive hours and you hold no more than four of them in any 12-month period under 8.03.030(D).
How long must a dealer hold used items before reselling them?
Regulated property like jewelry, electronics, tools, and game consoles must be held unaltered and separate from other inventory for 30 full days from acquisition so the Sheriff's Office can inspect it, under 8.03.090(A)(1). Items with obliterated serial numbers must be held 90 days instead.
What can get a Secondhand Dealer permit denied or revoked?
The Sheriff must deny or can revoke a permit if the applicant or a 5-percent-or-greater owner has had a similar license revoked for cause, run a business declared a public nuisance, or been convicted of fraud, deception, dishonesty, or theft, under 8.03.050(C).

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Clackamas County

Noise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome RestrictionsTowing CompaniesSignificant RestrictionsPawnbrokersSignificant RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Aircraft NoiseFew RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Leaf Blower RulesSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Vehicle NoiseSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSome Restrictions

All Clackamas County rules

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