Long Branch, NJ Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing office
- City Clerk
- Background check
- NJ State Police, via Police Dept, 30 days
- Bond required
- $10,000 surety bond
- License fee
- $50 initial, $50 annual renewal
- Merchandise hold
- 30 days before resale or melt-down
- Records retention
- 2 years
- Max penalty
- $500-$2,000 fine, up to 60 days jail
Summary
Long Branch requires anyone buying or selling used goods, precious metals, gems or pawned items in the city to hold a secondhand dealer license from the City Clerk. The Police Department investigates every applicant, and licensees must post a $10,000 bond and keep detailed photographed records of every purchase.
The purpose and intent of this chapter is to provide licensing and regulation of individuals dealing in precious metals, gems, secondhand goods and pawnbrokering to protect the residents of the City of Long Branch, and those transacting business in the City of Long Branch as permitted, in part, by N.J.S.A 51:6A-1 et seq. ... No person, partnership, limited-liability company, corporation or other entity shall engage in business as a secondhand dealer without first obtaining a license from the City Clerk. ... The fee for the initial application and license shall be $50, and each annual renewal fee shall be as set at $50. ... Any individual person, partnership or corporation found in violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to a minimum fine of $500, not to exceed $2,000, and imprisonment not to exceed 60 days, or both, at the discretion of the court.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4904719; v48 updated 2026-06-10; through 06-10-2026).
Full Breakdown
A. 51:6A-1 for precious metals and gems on top of the city's own police-protection goals; judicial and estate sales, household auctions and casual coin or stamp swaps are exempt. Every applicant is investigated by the Long Branch Police Department, which runs a New Jersey State Police background check and reports within 30 days; the Director of Public Safety then recommends approval or denial to the City Council, with a written statement of reasons and a right to a hearing if denied. Once licensed, a dealer must record each seller's name, address and government ID (or a thumbprint if no photo ID is shown), issue a serially numbered receipt describing the item, and photograph the item, the ID and the receipt in JPEG format, reporting every purchase to the Police Department within 36 hours and keeping records on file for two years.
A licensee cannot resell, melt down or otherwise dispose of anything purchased until the 30th day after the purchase. Licenses cost $50 initially and $50 to renew each year, and a dealer must carry a $10,000 surety bond, delivered within 10 days of licensing and kept in force for at least a year.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the secondhand dealer chapter carries a minimum fine of $500, up to $2,000, and up to 60 days in jail, or both, at the court's discretion, with each day of noncompliance treated as a separate violation. Failing to record the license number in advertising is itself a violation, and every receipt and photograph must stay available for inspection by any law enforcement officer while on file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs a secondhand dealer license in Long Branch?
What ID must a secondhand dealer collect from sellers?
How long must a dealer hold an item before reselling it?
What happens if a secondhand dealer breaks these rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Long Branch
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