Secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers in Charleston must hold a city business license and report transactions to law enforcement under Charleston Code provisions and West Virginia secondhand dealer reporting laws.
Charleston secondhand dealers, including pawnshops and gold buyers, must hold a Charleston B&O license under Chapter 10 of the City Code and follow record-keeping and reporting rules adopted by the City. Dealers are typically required to record seller identification, photograph or describe items, and report transactions to the Charleston Police Department or via a designated electronic reporting system. Items purchased may be subject to a holding period before resale to allow detection of stolen property. State law adds parallel pawnbroker requirements, including interest rate caps and ticket disclosures.
Failing to report transactions, falsifying records, or buying without verifying seller ID can result in criminal charges, license revocation, and forfeiture of inventory.
Charleston, WV
West Virginia Senate Bill 167, enacted in 2017, prohibits sanctuary policies. Charleston cannot adopt rules barring police cooperation with federal immigrati...
Charleston, WV
Charleston cannot set its own minimum wage above the West Virginia rate of 8.75 dollars per hour set by W. Va. Code Section 21-5C-2. State law preempts local...
Charleston, WV
Charleston levies a business and occupation gross receipts tax under Chapter 10 of the City Code, with rates that vary by business classification such as ret...
Charleston, WV
Charleston has not adopted a hotel worker retention ordinance like those in some larger cities. Hotel sales or change-of-control transactions in Charleston f...
Charleston, WV
Charleston hotel guests pay a 6 percent city hotel occupancy tax under W. Va. Code Chapter 7 plus a 6 percent state consumer sales tax, totaling roughly 12 p...
Charleston, WV
Charleston enforces loud party rules through the city noise ordinance and disorderly conduct provisions in Chapter 24, with stronger response near East End r...
See how Charleston's secondhand dealers rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.