Burlington, WI Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Separate license per collector, dealer, yard
- Bond
- $1,000 surety bond required
- Fence requirement
- At least 7 feet high, dust-tight
- Buying hours limit
- No purchases sunset to 7:00 a.m.
- Holding period
- Items held 2 days before resale
- License expiration
- Every June 30
Summary
Burlington requires a separate City license for every junk collector, junk dealer and junkyard, backed by fingerprinting, a police and fire inspection, and a $1,000 bond. Licensed premises must be fenced at least seven feet high, and dealers cannot buy junk between sunset and 7:00 a.m.
Required. In addition to any other license required by state law, no person shall, within the City, conduct, maintain or engage in the business of junk collector or junk dealer or keep, conduct or maintain any junkyard without first having obtained and paid for a license as herein provided. ... Fence required. Each of the premises upon which the business of junk dealer is to be carried on shall be enclosed by a proper fence or other structure not less than seven feet in height, constructed so that no dust or other material may pass through. ... No junk dealer shall make any purchase from any person or receive any article between the setting of the sun and 7:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4997580; v29 updated 2026-07-07; through 07-07-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 193 defines junk, junk collector, junk dealer and junkyard broadly, then requires a license under § 193-2 for anyone who conducts, maintains or engages in the junk business or keeps a junkyard, with a separate license needed for each person as a collector, each person as a dealer, and each junkyard on separate premises; licenses expire every June 30. Applicants under § 193-3 must file a sworn application disclosing residency, prior employment in the junk business, any felony or misdemeanor convictions, the business location and vehicle details, and submit to fingerprinting at the Police Department under § 193-3B.
Section 193-4 sends every application to the Chief of Police, Fire Chief, Health Officer and Building Inspector for a premises inspection and a background investigation. Section 193-5 requires a $1,000 bond conditioned on compliance with applicable laws. The Committee of the Whole reviews the results and recommends approval or denial to the Common Council under § 193-6, which can deny an application to anyone convicted of violating Chapter 193 within two years or of a felony or misdemeanor within three years, and bars new applications for three months after a denial.
, no purchase can be made from a minor under 18 without parental consent, and every item received must be held in the City at least two days before resale. Dealers must also keep daily purchase records open to police inspection under § 193-8B and C, and additional vehicle-identification records for motor vehicle parts under § 193-9.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 193 does not set a standalone fine, so a violation falls under the Code's general penalty of $5 to $500 for a first offense and $10 to $1,000 for a repeat offense within a year, plus costs, with up to 90 days in jail if unpaid. A license can also be denied or revoked, and the Common Council must state its specific reasons if it denies an application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to run a junk business in Burlington?
What does Burlington check before issuing a junk dealer license?
Can a junk dealer buy items at any hour?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Burlington
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