King County, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License fee
- $40 per year, due Dec. 31
- Resale hold
- 10 days after report to sheriff
- Records retention
- 5 years, kept in ink, English
- Sheriff transcript
- Filed weekly, every business week
- Late renewal penalty
- 5%-20% of fee, tiered by amount
- Criminal penalty
- Misdemeanor under § 6.60.150
- Civil penalty
- Up to $250 per violation
Summary
Anyone buying, selling or trading secondhand goods in unincorporated King County must hold a secondhand dealer's license under King County Code § 6.60.010. The $40-a-year license covers each shop location and comes with strict recordkeeping, a sheriff transcript duty, and a mandatory ten-day hold before resale.
6.60.010 License required. It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to engage in the business of buying, selling, or trading in secondhand goods in King County without first obtaining a "secondhand dealer's license" pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. (Res. 36054 § 1, 1968).
Full Breakdown
010 makes it unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to engage in buying, selling or trading secondhand goods in King County without first obtaining a secondhand dealer's license. 020. 030). 040). 070). 050). 060). 110). 100). 130).
Violations & Fines
Section 6.60.140 bars a dealer or employee from knowingly buying stolen goods, buying from a minor, an intoxicated or drug-addicted person, or a known thief, and requires returning identified stolen or unauthorized-sale property to its rightful owner free of charge. Any violation of chapter 6.60 is a misdemeanor under § 6.60.150. The Director can also assess a civil penalty of up to $250 per violation under § 6.60.160, scaled to the business's size, the violation's gravity, and the violator's compliance history, and § 6.60.170 lets the Director seek injunctive relief in addition to any other remedy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs a secondhand dealer's license in King County?
How long must a King County secondhand dealer hold purchased items?
What records must a King County secondhand dealer keep?
What happens if a King County secondhand dealer buys stolen property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in King County
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