Secondhand dealers and precious-metal buyers in Cincinnati need an Ohio license under ORC Chapter 4728, must report purchases to police daily, and must hold purchased items for stolen-goods review.
Ohio's Precious Metals Dealer Act (ORC Chapter 4728) and secondhand dealer rules require state licensing, surety bonds, and daily reporting to local law enforcement. Cincinnati requires a local business registration through Title 27 and integrates electronic reporting with Cincinnati Police via LeadsOnline. Dealers must verify seller identification, photograph items, and hold purchased goods for the state-mandated period before resale or melting. The city focuses inspections on resale shops, gold buyers, and electronics resellers near downtown and Over-the-Rhine to support stolen-property recovery, especially for catalytic converters and electronics.
Failing to license, omitting daily reports, melting metals before the holding period, or missing ID logs can lead to license loss and criminal charges.
See how Cincinnati'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 If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.