James City County, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

James City County Code § 12-131 bars anyone from engaging as a 'dealer,' defined in § 12-130 as a person or business purchasing secondhand precious metals or gems, without first getting a permit from the chief of police. The application must include the dealer's name, aliases, address, age, date of birth, sex, employer information and business location; the applicant must be fingerprinted, photographed and subjected to a criminal background check. 00 application fee to the treasurer's office, the chief of police issues the permit, provided the applicant has not been convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude within the prior seven years.

00. 00 fee; it is not transferable, and all weighing devices used in the business must be inspected and approved by local or state weights and measures officials before a permit issues. Section 12-132 requires verifying a seller's identity with a government-issued photo ID plus one other corroborating ID, and obtaining a statement of ownership. the next business day if the purchase occurs on a weekend or holiday). Section 12-134 requires the dealer to hold every purchased item for at least 15 calendar days before selling, altering or removing it from the county, and § 12-137 flatly bars purchasing from any seller under 18.