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Buena Park, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing section
§ 8.36.110, Chapter 8.36 Miscellaneous Offenses
State cross-reference
Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 21625 et seq., 21627
Base license rule
§ 5.00.040, license required for any business
Default penalty
Misdemeanor up to $1,000/6 months, or infraction
Ordinance history
Prior Code § 18-8; Ord. 1220 § 2 (1988)

Summary

Buena Park Municipal Code § 8.36.110 bars anyone licensed under the city's general business-license chapters from buying, selling or dealing in secondhand tangible personal property, jewelry, precious stones, watches or metal tableware without first obtaining a secondhand dealer license under California Business and Professions Code § 21625 et seq. The rule folds the city's own license requirement into the state's reporting scheme for used-goods dealers.

No person or business licensed pursuant to the terms of Chapters 5.00, 5.04, 5.20 through 5.32 and 5.48 of this code shall buy, sell or otherwise deal in secondhand tangible personal property, as defined in Section 21627 of the California Business and Professions Code, or similar secondhand merchandise, including but not limited to secondhand jewelry, precious stones, watches, or metal tableware, without first obtaining a secondhand dealer license as provided in Sections 21625, et seq., of the California Business and Professions Code pertaining to the conduct and reporting of sales for all secondhand dealers.

Full Breakdown

, of the California Business and Professions Code. The section traces to Prior Code § 18-8 and Ordinance No. 1220 (1988). 060. 04 scheme: a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail, or, if charged as an infraction, escalating fines of $100, $200 and $500 for repeat violations within a year. 090 bars issuing a new license to any applicant who owes back license fees. means secondhand dealers must also comply with the state's reporting-of-transactions and record-keeping requirements for used merchandise before resale.

Violations & Fines

Dealing in secondhand goods, jewelry, watches or metal tableware without the required secondhand dealer license is, absent a specific administrative fine, a misdemeanor carrying up to $1,000 and six months in jail, or an infraction escalating from $100 to $500 for repeat offenses within a year. The city may also refuse or revoke the underlying business license and pursue unpaid license fees as a civil debt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do secondhand dealers need a special license in Buena Park?
Yes. Buena Park Municipal Code § 8.36.110 requires anyone already licensed under the city's general business chapters to also obtain a secondhand dealer license under California Business and Professions Code § 21625 et seq. before buying, selling or dealing in secondhand jewelry, watches, precious stones, metal tableware or similar used merchandise inside Buena Park.
What counts as secondhand tangible personal property under Buena Park's ordinance?
Section 8.36.110 borrows the definition from California Business and Professions Code § 21627 rather than writing its own, naming jewelry, precious stones, watches and metal tableware as covered examples 'including but not limited to' others. The city ordinance layers its own license requirement on top of whatever the state statute defines as secondhand tangible personal property.
What happens if I run a secondhand shop in Buena Park without the license?
Because Chapter 8.36 has no penalty section of its own, a violation falls under the city's general Chapter 1.04 scheme: a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail, or, if prosecuted as an infraction, fines starting at $100 and rising to $500 for repeat violations within a year. The city can also deny or revoke your general business license.
Which Buena Park business chapters trigger the secondhand dealer requirement?
The ordinance applies to any person or business already licensed under Chapters 5.00 and 5.04 (general business license and fee schedule) and Chapters 5.20 through 5.32 and 5.48 of the municipal code. Holding one of those city licenses does not exempt a secondhand dealer from also obtaining the state-mandated secondhand dealer license before dealing in used goods.

Sources & Official References

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