Fort Smith, AR Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Register
- daily log of every purchase
- Police copy
- due within 24 hours
- Minors
- need parent/guardian consent
- Violation
- misdemeanor
- Repeat violation
- each day is separate offense
Summary
Fort Smith secondhand-article buyers must log every purchase in a daily register and hand a signed copy to police within 24 hours, plus get parental consent before buying from a minor.
Any person carrying on or engaging in for profit the business of purchasing secondhand articles ... shall maintain a daily register of the names and addresses of all parties from whom such purchases are made with the description of the article purchased from such person. ... A signed copy of the daily register required by section 13-278 shall be furnished by mail or personal delivery to the chief of police, or his designated agent, within 24 hours of any purchase.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Fort Smith's secondhand goods ordinance (Article X, Ch. 13) requires anyone who buys secondhand articles for profit, as a dedicated business or incidental to another trade, to keep a daily written register recording the name and address of every seller along with a description of the item purchased (Sec. 13-278). A signed copy of that register must reach the chief of police, by mail or hand delivery, within 24 hours of the purchase (Sec. 13-280). Dealers also cannot buy from a minor without first getting consent from the minor's parent or guardian (Sec. 13-281). Used books, household furniture, and major appliances are excluded from the "secondhand article" definition.
Violations & Fines
Failing to keep the register, missing the 24-hour police reporting window, or buying from an unaccompanied minor is a misdemeanor under Sec. 13-277, punishable per the general penalty in Sec. 1-9.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Fort Smith secondhand dealers have to log purchases?
How fast must dealers report purchases to police?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Smith
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