Fayette County, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Yes, annual, code enforcement
- Hold period before resale
- 15 days
- Hours
- 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m., Mon–Sat
- Repeat-seller report trigger
- More than twice/year, same person
- Trade-in exemption
- Credit-only trade-ins exempt, § 8-345
Summary
Anyone buying used gold, silver, platinum, gems or jewelry in unincorporated Fayette County must hold an annual dealer license from code enforcement under Code chapter 8, division 3, and hold purchased items 15 days before resale.
Every person doing business in the unincorporated area of Fayette County as a dealer in precious metals or gems shall, prior to commencing business, make proper application for and receive the appropriate license. ... Businesses which limit the purchase of used valuables to the acceptance of trade-ins for credit for new goods or the dispensing of refunds in regard to valuables previously purchased from the business shall not be regulated or covered under this division. ... Every business licensed under this division shall hold, on the premises designated in the license for doing business, every item required to be listed under this division for at least 15 days before disposing the same by sale, transfer, shipment or otherwise.
Full Breakdown
Section 8-342 requires every person doing business as a dealer in precious metals or gems to obtain a license before commencing business, and section 8-343 limits operation to the manner the license permits, with a separate license required for each sales outlet. Section 8-344 applies the same disqualifiers as the pawnbroker division: no felony conviction within five years, no disqualifying misdemeanor (moral turpitude, gambling, sexual offenses, assault, battery, family violence, drugs) within two years, applicants must be at least 18 and Georgia residents, and the county certificate of occupancy must be in place.
Section 8-346 requires annual renewal with the fee due November 1. Section 8-345 exempts businesses that only take used goods as trade-in credit toward new merchandise or that issue refunds on prior purchases. Section 8-351 requires an electronic record of every transaction, transmitted to the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, including the seller's photograph, signature, fingerprint and a description of the item; section 8-352 additionally requires a special log and mandatory Sheriff's Department report if a dealer receives smelted or non-formed precious metal from the same person or household more than twice in a year.
Section 8-358 bars disposing of any purchased item for 15 days after acquisition, except purchases from licensed wholesalers. , Monday through Saturday, matching the pawnbroker division.
Violations & Fines
Failing to keep required records, falsifying an entry, refusing a law enforcement inspection, or violating any other provision of division 3 is a misdemeanor under section 8-367, with each day of continued operation in violation counted as a separate offense. The board of commissioners may suspend or revoke the license under section 8-368 after a hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Fayette County jewelry buyer need a license?
How long must a secondhand gold or jewelry dealer hold an item before reselling it?
Is a store that only takes trade-ins covered by this license?
What happens if a dealer keeps false records?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fayette County
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