Dothan, AL Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

City Code § 18-149 makes it unlawful to 'conduct or carry on the business of purchasing secondhand gold or silver, whether in the form of coins, jewelry, household articles or furnishings, personal effects, bric-a-brac, settings for gems, watches, flatware, service sets or other articles of like kind' in the city without first obtaining both an Article VII permit and a chapter 18 business license. Section 18-150 requires a sworn written application with the applicant's name, date of birth, driver's license number, address history, a two-by-two-inch photograph taken within 60 days, fingerprints, and references from two county property owners vouching for good character.

Section 18-151 charges a $10.00 investigation fee, and § 18-152 sends the application to the chief of police, who investigates the applicant's character and business responsibility and can approve or deny the permit, with denial appealable to the board of city commissioners within 14 days. Once licensed, § 18-154 requires the dealer to register with the chief of police, and § 18-156 requires a daily log of every purchase, including a description of the item, the date and hour, and the seller's address, driver's license number, sex, race and date of birth, with a transcript of the prior day's business delivered to the chief of police 'before the hour of 10:00 a.m.' each day.

Section 18-159 bars the dealer from altering, melting or reselling purchased items for 72 hours after reporting the purchase, and § 18-157 keeps those books open to police inspection at all times.