Hemet, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual license fee
- $150.00 per year for secondhand dealers, § 18-61
- Certificate of compliance
- Asterisk in § 18-61 means one can be required first
- Each location
- Separate license and fee for every branch, § 18-45(b)
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, with each day a separate violation, § 18-52
- Suspension limit
- 15 days unless a show cause order issues, § 18-49(i)
- Revocation notice
- Ten days' written notice and a council hearing, § 18-49(h)
- Appeal deadline
- 15 calendar days from mailing, filed with the city clerk
Summary
Every secondhand dealer in Hemet, as defined by state law, must hold a city business license at $150.00 per year under City Code § 18-61. The asterisk beside that listing means a certificate of compliance can be required before the license issues. Doing business without the license is a misdemeanor under § 18-52, and each day of operation counts as its own violation.
It is unlawful for any person to transact and carry on any business, trade, profession, calling or occupation in the city without first having procured a license from the city to do so and paying the fee prescribed in this article, or without complying with any and all applicable provisions of this article. ... Such revocation shall be made only upon a hearing held before a quorum of the city council, after ten days' written notice to such licensee, stating the grounds of complaint against him and stating the time and place where such hearing will be held. ... may appeal the administrative decision by filing an appeal in the office of the city clerk within 15 calendar days from the date notice of the administrative decision was mailed to the applicant or licensee. ... The carrying on of any business, trade, calling, profession or occupation without complying with the requirements of this article is a separate violation of this article for each and every day that such business is carried on. ... The symbol "*" indicates that a certificate of compliance may be required. ... Secondhand dealers, as defined by state law*: $150.00 per year.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 69 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Secondhand dealers are licensed through Chapter 18, Article II, the general business license article, and § 18-61 lists "Secondhand dealers, as defined by state law" at a fixed $150.00 per year. The pawnbroker listing carries the same $150.00 fee, while junk dealers pay $5.00 per day, $20.00 for six months, or $40.00 per year per truck route plus a graduated employee fee. Under § 18-45(a), no one can carry on any business in the city without first procuring the license and paying the fee. The license reaches only what it names: § 18-45(b)(1) requires a separate license for each branch establishment or location, and § 18-45(b)(2) computes the fee as if each branch were its own business, so a second shop front costs a second $150.00.
If a business fits two categories with different fee bases, § 18-45(b)(3) charges the basis that produces the highest fee. The asterisk in § 18-61 triggers § 18-45(g): the applicant files with the responsible city official and supplies business addresses, the nature and location of the business, three responsible references who have known the applicant for more than three years, prior business history, any convictions, and fingerprints plus the state processing fee. Once licensed, the collector and deputies act as license inspectors under § 18-49(g).
They can enter a place of business free of charge at any reasonable time and demand the license for the current term. The license must hang in a conspicuous place at a fixed location, and a licensee who uses a vehicle for the business must affix it to the lower right corner of the windshield. The city council can revoke a license under § 18-49(h) only after a hearing before a quorum, on ten days' written notice delivered personally or posted at the premises. Under § 18-49(i), the fire chief, police chief, health officer, building inspector, streets supervisor or city council can suspend a license on the spot, but the suspension ends after 15 days unless an order to show cause on revocation has issued. Denials, renewal denials, suspensions and revocations are appealed under § 18-50.
Violations & Fines
Under § 18-52(a), operating without a license, breaking any provision of the business license article, or knowingly misrepresenting a material fact to a city official to obtain a license, permit or certificate of compliance is a misdemeanor under Hemet City Code § 1-8. Under § 18-52(b), every day the unlicensed business runs is a separate violation. Under § 18-49(a), a conviction does not erase the unpaid license fee, and paying the fee does not stop a prosecution. Remedies are cumulative, so prosecution and revocation can run together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a secondhand dealer license cost in Hemet?
Do I need a certificate of compliance before the license is issued?
What happens if I operate without a license?
Can the city suspend or revoke my license, and how long does that last?
How do I appeal a denial, suspension or revocation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hemet
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