Dearborn, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License issuer
- City clerk, fee set in Sec. 12-6
- ID required
- Buyer/seller driver's license recorded
- Hold period
- 9 days jewelry/metals, 15 days other goods
- Age limit
- No purchases from anyone under 18
- Police reporting
- Daily transaction report required
Summary
Buying or reselling secondhand jewelry, silverware, or gold, silver, and platinum items in Dearborn requires a city clerk license, plus ID checks, a police-inspectable transaction ledger, and a mandatory holding period before any purchased item can be resold.
The term "secondhand dealer" as used in this article shall mean any person, corporation or member or members of a co-partnership or firm whose principal business is that of purchasing, storing, selling, exchanging and receiving secondhand personal property of any kind or description. (Ord. No. 92-551, § 1, 1-5-93) Sec. 12-387. - License required. No person, corporation or firm shall engage in the business of buying or selling any secondhand goods, secondhand jewelry, used silverware, or other secondhand manufactured article composed wholly or in part of gold, silver, platinum or other precious metal, nor shall any person engage in the business of buying or selling gold, silver, platinum or other precious metal in the city without having first procured a license from the city clerk for such purpose. The license fee, listed in Section
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-07: Code: Updated through: July 22, 2026 | Zoning: Updated through: July 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Dearborn requires a city clerk license before buying or selling secondhand jewelry, silverware, or articles made of gold, silver, or platinum. Licensees must record every seller's driver's license ID, name, and description of the item in a bound ledger open to police, take the seller's thumbprint, and report all transactions to the police chief daily. Jewelry and precious-metal items must be held at least nine days, other secondhand goods at least fifteen, before resale, and dealers may never buy from anyone under 18.
Violations & Fines
Buying or selling covered secondhand goods without a license, or knowingly letting it happen on your premises, is unlawful under Sec. 12-395 -- punishable under the Code's general penalty: up to $500 and 93 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long must a Dearborn dealer hold purchased jewelry before reselling it?
Can a Dearborn secondhand dealer buy from a 17-year-old?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
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Secondhand Dealers in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle secondhand dealers.