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Campbell County, KY Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

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

Key Facts

License required
Business/Occupational License before operating
Cash purchases
Barred; payment by check only
Holding period
7 days minimum before resale
Hours ban
No transactions 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Reporting
Must enter data in LEADS Online
Penalty, business
Up to $5,000 fine per offense
Penalty, individual
Up to $250 fine, 90 days jail

Summary

Campbell County requires every pawn shop, jewelry store, exchange, or other used-property dealer to hold a Business or Occupational License before buying or selling used goods or precious metals from the public. Chapter 119 also mandates detailed transaction records, LEADS Online reporting, a seven-day resale hold, a ban on cash payments and purchases from minors, and restricted hours of 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

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

§ 119.02 LICENSE REQUIRED. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, organization, or corporation to conspire, cause, permit, promote, allow, aid, assist, encourage or engage in any ownership or operation of any Used Property Business in Campbell County without first obtaining a valid Business License, Occupational License, and any other legally required license or permit from any and all units of government, within the boundaries of which such Used Property Business conducts business.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-50: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. O-09-2026, passed 8-5-26; and Res. R-42-26, passed 7-15-26; and State legislation current through KRS Pamphlet 2025).

Full Breakdown

01). 02 makes it unlawful to conspire, cause, permit, promote, allow, aid, assist, encourage or engage in any ownership or operation of any Used Property Business without first obtaining a Business License, Occupational License, and any other legally required license or permit from every unit of government with jurisdiction. 03 requires the dealer to log a unique transaction number, a color JPEG photo of the item, a full description including size, make, model, and serial number, the date and time, the employee who handled it, and the seller's full name, address, phone, email, date of birth, sex, race, height, weight, hair and eye color, plus a scanned driver's license or state ID and the seller's signature.

Precious-metals and used-property purchases cannot be paid in cash; payment must be by check to the seller. 03(C)), and records must be kept at least one year. m. 07 applies the chapter countywide, incorporated and unincorporated alike, unless a city has its own equal-or-stricter ordinance; Newport is named as exempt because its existing precious-metals ordinance already meets that bar.

Violations & Fines

Section 119.99 makes each separate violation by a business or corporation a Class B misdemeanor carrying a criminal fine of up to $5,000; an individual who violates any section faces a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of up to $250, up to 90 days in jail, or both, for each offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Campbell County's used-property law cover pawn shops?
Yes. Section 119.01 defines USED PROPERTY BUSINESS to include businesses commonly known as pawn shops, jewelry stores, exchanges, and game exchanges, and any other business that acquires used tangible property or precious metals from the public, so pawn shops are licensed and regulated under Chapter 119 rather than a separate pawnbroker chapter.
Can a Campbell County pawn shop or used-property dealer pay cash?
No. Section 119.03(A)(8) bars any cash transaction for the purchase of precious metals or used tangible property regulated under the chapter; payment must be made by check issued to and payable to the seller.
How long must a dealer hold an item before reselling it?
Section 119.04(B) requires the item be held at least seven calendar days from the date it was received or entered into the LEADS Online system, whichever is longer, before it can be sold or otherwise disposed of.
What are the penalties for violating Campbell County's used-property licensing law?
Section 119.99 makes each violation a Class B misdemeanor: a business or corporation faces a criminal fine up to $5,000, while an individual faces a fine up to $250 and/or up to 90 days in jail, for every separate offense.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Campbell County

All Campbell County rules

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