Columbus, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Registry retention
- 90 days minimum
- Item hold period
- 7 days, unaltered
- Covers
- trade/swap/flea/thrift shops
- Excludes
- pawnbrokers, jewelry dealers
Summary
Columbus, Georgia requires secondhand dealers, trade shops, swap shops, flea markets and thrift shops, to log every purchase in a registry and hold traded goods seven days for police inspection.
Every dealer in the articles described herein shall keep a registry which shall contain the following information in connection with the purchase by such dealer of such article or articles:
(1)The name of the person or other entity from whom the article is purchased;(2)The residence or place of business of such person or entity;(3)Identification of such person or entity, including driver's license number or vehicle plate number of the seller;(4)The name and address of the person or other entity from whom the article was acquired by the person selling the article to the dealer;(5)A full description of each seller; and(6)A serial and/or identifying number where available shall be secured from the seller. (Ord. No. 80-101, § 2, 8-19-80)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
Columbus, Georgia's Code of Ordinances, Chapter 14, Article III requires every secondhand dealer, defined to include for-profit trade shops, swap shops, flea markets and thrift shops, to record each seller's name, address, identification (driver's license or vehicle plate number), and the article's prior owner in a registry kept for at least 90 days and open to Columbus Police Department inspection under § 14-83(a)-(b). Dealers must also hold purchased or traded items on the premises, unaltered, for seven days, open to inspection by police or the public. Pawnbrokers and dealers in secondhand jewelry, precious metals and gems are regulated separately under Chapters 15 and 10, not this article.
Violations & Fines
Buying or trading secondhand goods without keeping the required registry, retaining it, or allowing the seven-day inspection hold is unlawful under § 14-85; sellers who give false information also violate the article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply to pawnshops in Columbus, Georgia?
How long must a Columbus, Georgia secondhand dealer hold purchased items?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbus
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