Kansas City, MO Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License issuer
- Director of Finance
- Bond required
- $5,000 surety bond
- Police record deadline
- Within 24 hours of purchase
- Holding period
- 10 days before resale
- Max penalty
- $500 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Kansas City requires a Director of Finance license, $5,000 bond, seller ID and fingerprint records, and a 10-day holding period for anyone buying secondhand precious metals or gems, with violations punishable by fine or jail.
No person shall engage or continue in the business as a precious metal and gem dealer without first obtaining a license therefor from the director of finance. This license shall be renewed annually, and one license shall be obtained for each place of business.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 139 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
Kansas City requires anyone buying secondhand precious metals or gems, jewelry, coins, gold, silver, platinum-group items not sold as new, to hold a Director of Finance license, renewed annually for each location, backed by a $5,000 surety bond. Dealers must record every purchase with the seller's ID, a right-index fingerprint, and photos of the items, deliver that record to police within 24 hours, and hold merchandise 10 days (20 if police flag it as possibly stolen) before reselling, trading, or melting it down. Dealers who derive 90% or more of revenue from new merchandise may file for an incidental-purchase exemption.
Violations & Fines
Violating the licensing, record-keeping, or holding-period rules is an ordinance violation: a fine of $50 to $500, up to six months in jail, or both, plus possible license revocation by the director of finance for up to a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do secondhand precious metal dealers in Kansas City need a license?
How long must a Kansas City dealer hold items before reselling them?
What happens if a dealer skips the required seller ID and fingerprint record?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kansas City
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Secondhand Dealers in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Jackson County handle secondhand dealers.