Everett, MA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

Article III of Chapter 12 of the Everett Revised Ordinances governs junk and secondhand dealers, and the City Council is the licensing authority. Section 12-61(a) exempts city administrative officers, boards and commissions. Section 12-301 lists the fees: a Secondhand Dealer pays a $50.00 application fee and a $75.00 annual/renewal fee, a Junk Dealer pays $300.00 and $300.00, and a Junk Collector pays $150.00 and $150.00. All three expire May 1st and each renewal needs City Council approval. Under Section 12-61(c) the Council can revoke any license after notice and hearing.

Record keeping is specific. Section 12-62 requires every keeper of a shop to write in a book, at the time of every purchase, a description of the article, the name, age and residence of the seller, a photocopy of a valid identification (driver's license, liquor ID, military ID, etc.) and the day and hour of the purchase. The book must be open to any police officer of the city at all times. Section 12-64 lets any police officer of the city examine the shop and all articles in it. Section 12-65 bars buying from, or taking in barter from, a minor the keeper knows or has reason to believe is a minor.

The holding periods are fixed. Under Section 12-66, junk or old metals cannot be sold until at least one (1) week after purchase or receipt, and secondhand articles cannot be sold until at least fifteen (15) days after. Section 12-63 requires a sign on the shop with the keeper's name and occupation in letters no more than 12 inches in height. Section 12-67 bars a dealer or collector of junk or rags from keeping, exposing, sorting or offering junk or rags in any building within five hundred (500) feet of any school or other public building. Section 12-68 requires neat and orderly premises and secondhand wearing apparel kept enclosed in sacks, boxes, barrels or other suitable covered containers. Section 12-70 requires the owner's name or business on each side of a collection vehicle in letters and figures of not less than one and one-half inches.

Two neighboring licenses are separate. Purchases of gold, silver and platinum fall under the precious metals article (Article IV), and collectors who go from place to place with a vehicle also need the junk collector license in Section 12-240.