Kennewick, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License type
- Class II business license
- Reporting
- Daily to police database by noon
- Resale hold
- 30 days minimum, §6.17.080(4)
- Penalty range
- $25 to $500 per violation
Summary
Kennewick requires pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers to hold a Class II business license, log every transaction into the police department's database, and hold purchased goods 30 days before resale.
No person may engage in the business of being a pawnbroker or secondhand dealer without securing a license as required by this Chapter.(2)No license is required for motor vehicle dealers licensed under Chapter 46.70 RCW, motor vehicle wreckers and hulk haulers licensed under Chapter 46.79 or 46.80 RCW, persons giving an allowance for the trade-in or exchange of secondhand property on the purchase of other merchandise of the same kind of greater value, persons in the business of buying or selling empty food and beverage containers or metal or nonmetal junk, and persons holding a yard sale.(3)No person shall hold a rummage sale without securing a license as required by this chapter. (Ord. 5210, Sec. 1, 2007; Ord. 3321, Sec. 2, 1991; Ord. 2908, Sec. 1(part), 1985; Ord. 2808, Sec. 2, 1984; Ord. 2601, Sec. 1(part), 1981; Ord. 2542, Sec. 11(part), 1980)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Kennewick Municipal Code § 6.17.040 bars anyone from operating as a pawnbroker or secondhand dealer without a Class II license (§ 6.17.020). Licensees must record each loan or purchase, the seller's ID, a description of the item, and price paid, and transmit it to the Kennewick Police Department's database by noon the next day (§ 6.17.070). Purchased property must be held 30 days before resale (§ 6.17.080(4)). Licensed vehicle dealers, junk haulers, and yard-sale operators are exempt.
Violations & Fines
The License Officer or Hearing Examiner may suspend, revoke, or refuse a license for a violation, plus a penalty of $25 to $500 and restitution to anyone injured (KMC 6.17.090).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to run a pawn shop in Kennewick?
How long must a secondhand dealer hold an item before reselling it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kennewick
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