Evansville, IN Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Report deadline
- Noon, next business day
- Resale hold
- 10 business days
- Fee (e-filer)
- $25.00/year
- Fee (paper filer)
- $300.00/year
Summary
Evansville secondhand merchants must be licensed, report every purchase to police by noon the next day, and hold items 10 business days before resale.
A person engaged in the business of buying and selling secondhand goods shall report to the Evansville Police Department, by noon of the next business day, the following information:
(A) Name, address, date of birth, race, sex, and driver’s license or State identification number of the person from whom the item is purchased;
(B) Date and time of the transaction;
(C) A description of the item including brand name, model number, serial number, and engravings or markings;
(D) A separate report shall be made fully describing each item purchased by make, model, and serial number.
The information required above shall be furnished in a digital format provided by the Evansville Police Department. The items must be held in their original condition for at least 10 business days from the reporting date prior to offering the items for sale or altering the item. [Ord. G-2012-10, passed 6-26-12; Ord. G-99-23, passed 8-31-99; Ord. G-99-12, passed 6-7-99. 1983 Code § 11.131.04.]
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-2026-12, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Evansville Municipal Code Chapter 5.30 requires anyone buying or selling secondhand goods -- serial-numbered items, electronics, non-powered hand tools under 30 years old, and gas- or electric-powered tools -- to hold a separate City license for each location. Every purchase must be reported to the Evansville Police Department by noon the next business day, giving the seller's name, address, date of birth, race, sex and ID number, the transaction's date and time, and a full item description; purchased items must be held in original condition for at least 10 business days before resale or alteration. The license fee is $25.00 a year for merchants who file reports electronically, or $300.00 a year for those who do not; pawnbrokers, precious-metal dealers, auctioneers, salvage companies, not-for-profits, and vehicle/gun transactions are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 5.30 carries a fines-and-penalties section (EMC 5.30.070) separate from the general code penalty for buying/selling secondhand goods without a license or failing to file the required daily police reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Evansville's secondhand dealer law cover gun sales?
How long must an Evansville secondhand dealer hold a purchased item before reselling it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Evansville
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