Leominster, MA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

Chapter 11, 'Junk and Secondhand Dealers,' rewritten by ordinance on March 28, 2011, lets the city council license 'suitable persons' to collect, deal in or keep shops for junk, old metals, precious metals or secondhand articles under M.G.L. c. 140. Section 11-1 makes every such license revocable at the council's pleasure and sets a hard expiration of April 30 each year, regardless of issue date. Before a license issues, Section 11-2 requires the applicant to produce a certificate from the inspector of weights and measures confirming any scales used in the business have been inspected and sealed. Section 11-3 confines the licensee to the single location named on the license unless the council approves a written relocation, with the police department notified of any change. Section 11-4 sets the license fee at $100, payable to the city clerk, and Section 11-5 requires the license to be displayed in plain sight at the business.

Recordkeeping is central to the chapter. Section 11-6 requires every dealer to keep a book recording each purchase's description, and the seller's name, age, residence, date and hour, plus a copy of the seller's positive photo ID, retained for at least a year and open to inspection by the mayor, council or police. Section 11-6.1 layers a separate Precious Metals Registry onto any business buying gold, silver or platinum, including a 21-day hold before any purchased precious metal can be resold or altered. Section 11-7 bars buying junk, old metals or secondhand articles from a minor when the dealer knows or has reason to believe the seller is underage.