St. Charles County, MO Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Covered businesses
- Gun, auction, pawn, antiques, coin, jewelry dealers
- Register deadline
- Within 8 hours of receiving item, § 255.020
- Resale hold
- 24 hrs (48 if mailed) after police report
- Minors
- No purchases under 18 without parental consent
- Record retention
- At least 2 years, § 255.040(C)
- Penalty
- $150-$500 fine per violation, each day separate
- Enforcement
- County Prosecuting Attorney's office, § 255.100
Summary
Every secondhand dealer, pawnbroker, gun dealer, auction house, antiques dealer, coin dealer or jewelry dealer in unincorporated St. Charles County must log each item bought or pawned in a permanent register within eight hours, hold new stock at least 24 hours after reporting it to police, and never buy from anyone under 18 without a parent's written consent, under Chapter 255.
DEALER IN SECONDHAND GOODS: Any gun dealer, auction dealer, pawnbroker, antiques dealer, precious metal coin dealer, jewelry dealer or dealer of any type engaged in the resale of secondhand goods in the unincorporated area of the County. Section 255.020(A): Every dealer in secondhand goods in the unincorporated area of St. Charles County acquiring any article or pledged good for trade or sale shall keep at his or her place of business a register in which shall be entered, by number, the date and time the article or pledged good was received... together with the name and address of the person leaving the article or pledged good, his or her description and his or her driver's license number... as well as the amount paid for or loaned upon the article or pledged good. Section 255.070: Any person violating any of the provisions of this Chapter shall upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each violation. Each and every day upon which such violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4863880; v61 updated 2026-05-11; through 05-11-2026).
Full Breakdown
010. 020 requires every such dealer to keep a permanent register recording, for each article or pledged good, the date and time received, a detailed description (down to a jewelry item's metal color, carat weight and stone type), and the seller's name, address, description and driver's license or other official ID number, plus the amount paid or loaned. Entries must be made within a reasonable time but no later than eight hours after receipt, kept 'by computer' so they cannot be erased or altered, and tagged to the item until it's sold, redeemed or disposed of.
Dealers must make the register available to an 'appropriate Law Enforcement Officer' on request, without a warrant, during business hours. 050 then bars reselling any item until at least 24 hours after the daily report reaches the Police Department electronically, or 48 hours if mailed, excluding Sundays and legal holidays. 060 flatly bars taking or buying anything from a person under 18 without a parent or guardian's written consent. 040(C), and submit a daily report using the Police Department's PILET software system. 100 assigns enforcement to the County Prosecuting Attorney's office.
Violations & Fines
Failing to log a purchase within eight hours, reselling an item before the 24-hour (or 48-hour mailed) hold period expires, buying from a minor without parental consent, or refusing to produce the register or daily reports to police without a warrant each violate Chapter 255. Section 255.070 sets a fine of $150 to $500 per violation, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense, prosecuted by the County Prosecuting Attorney's office under § 255.100.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information does a secondhand dealer have to record about an item I sell them?
How long does a pawn or resale shop have to hold an item before selling it?
Can a secondhand store buy something from my teenager?
What happens if a dealer doesn't follow the register and reporting rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Charles County
Compare St. Charles County to another location·View the Missouri business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.