Ada County, ID Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

The Ada County Precious Metal Dealer Licensing Act, Ada County Code 4-2-1 through 4-2-12, covers dealers who regularly buy, sell, trade, or exchange used jewelry, money of numismatic value, silverware, or precious metals and gems, but exempts licensed pawnbrokers, hobbyist coin collectors, bona fide trade show transactions, and dealer-to-dealer transfers of already-registered items. Section 4-2-4 makes operating without a license unlawful; the Sheriff investigates every applicant within 30 days and must reject anyone under 18, not the bona fide business owner, previously revoked in the past five years, convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude within five years, or who falsified the application.

The annual license fee is $50 under 4-2-5, dropping to a $25 late fee for applications filed after July 1, with every license expiring December 31 and renewal due by January 1. Section 4-2-6 requires a tightly bound, sequentially numbered ledger, kept in ink and retained three years, recording the transaction date, the seller's name, age, sex, driver's license and vehicle license numbers, address and physical description, the property owner's name and address, a full item description including precious metal type and approximate weight, the price paid, and the seller's signature.

Section 4-2-7 bars a dealer from selling, melting, or altering any acquired item, other than bulk or bullion, for ten days from acquisition, and the item must stay at the licensed business location during that hold. The Ada County Sheriff or deputies can inspect the ledger and inventory during regular business hours under 4-2-8, and any transaction with a minor under 18 requires a parent or guardian's cosignature under 4-2-9.