St. Lucie County, FL Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Holding period
- 30 days (Sec. 12-85(b)(1))
- Extended hold
- Up to 90 days, police hold (Sec. 12-85(b)(3))
- Closed hours
- 10:00 p.m.-8:00 a.m. (Sec. 12-86(2))
- ID required
- Government photo ID (Sec. 12-83(e))
- License required
- County business tax receipt (Sec. 12-82)
Summary
St. Lucie County secondhand and junk dealers must hold a county business tax receipt, hold acquired goods 30 days before resale, verify seller ID, and stay closed to transactions between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. Records go to the sheriff's electronic reporting system and are open to inspection.
A secondhand dealer shall not sell, barter, exchange, alter, adulterate, or in any way dispose of any secondhand goods within 30 calendar days of the date of acquisition of the goods. Such holding period is not applicable when the person known by the secondhand dealer to be the person from whom the goods were acquired desires to redeem, repurchase, or recover the goods, provided the dealer can produce the record of the original transaction with verification that the customer is the person from whom the goods were originally acquired.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 32 | Land Development Code: Supplement 36).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 12-85(b)(1) sets the core holding rule: "A secondhand dealer shall not sell, barter, exchange, alter, adulterate, or in any way dispose of any secondhand goods within 30 calendar days of the date of acquisition of the goods," unless the original seller is redeeming the item. Dealers must keep actual physical possession of goods throughout a transaction (Sec. 12-85(b)(2)), and a law enforcement officer with probable cause that an item is stolen can extend the hold to 90 days, extendable further by a court (Sec.
12-85(b)(3)). Sec. or use a drive-through window for transactions; and may not use the word "pawn" or "pawnbroker" in their advertising. Sec. 12-83(d)-(g) requires a full daily electronic transaction report to the sheriff's designated reporting system covering the seller's identity (including a right thumbprint), a description of goods with serial numbers and digital images, and the price paid, with each receipt numbered consecutively. Sec. 12-83(e) requires verification of the seller's identity by government-issued photo ID. Sec. 12-84 opens the dealer's premises and records to sheriff's office or state inspection during regular business hours. Dealers must also hold the Sec. 12-82 county business tax receipt.
Violations & Fines
Selling secondhand goods before the 30-day hold expires, staying open for transactions between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., using a drive-through for transactions, or transacting with a minor or intoxicated person all violate Sec. 12-85/12-86 and are enforced through the county's code compliance process alongside business-tax-receipt suspension.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long must a St. Lucie County secondhand dealer hold purchased goods before resale?
Can a secondhand shop in St. Lucie County stay open all night?
What ID does a secondhand dealer have to check?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Lucie County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare St. Lucie County to another location·View the Florida business licensing & operations overview
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