Mountain View, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- City Code Ch. 23, Art. I
- Mandatory hold period
- 30 days before resale
- Daily report deadline
- 10:00 a.m. to police chief
- Business hours limit
- Closed 7 p.m.-8 a.m., Sundays, holidays
- License revocation bar
- 6 months before reapplying
Summary
Mountain View licenses secondhand jewelry dealers under Chapter 23 of the City Code, requiring a bound transaction record, daily reports to the police department, and a 30-day hold on every item before resale. Sec. 23.9 keeps purchased goods available for police inspection so stolen property can be traced and recovered before it leaves a dealer's shelf.
All articles purchased, received, exchanged, pledged, or otherwise taken into possession by any person operating any of the above enumerated businesses shall be segregated and made available for inspection by the chief of police, or any officer authorized by law, in the place of business of the licensee for a period of five (5) days immediately following receipt of the same. All such articles shall be held for a period of at least thirty (30) days, after they have been received before being sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of or removed from the place of business; except that such article may be delivered or returned to the true owner thereof or to his authorized agent at any time. All such property shall, during the thirty-day period, be kept and exposed for police inspection during business hours.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 34 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 23, Article I of the Mountain View City Code regulates secondhand jewelry dealers, defined as anyone who buys, sells, exchanges, or pledges used gold, silver, platinum, watches, or other precious metals and stones (Sec. 1). Every dealer must keep a bound record book, in ink and in English, listing a description of each item, the vendor's signature, age, sex, and residence, any vehicle used, the price paid, and the date and hour of the transaction (Sec. 2). In addition to the ledger, dealers must fill out a separate blank record card for each item taken in (Sec.
every business day (Sec. 5). Those records are open only to law enforcement or a court order. Sec. 9 requires every item to be segregated and made available for police inspection for five days after receipt, and held at least 30 days before it can be sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of, unless it is returned to its true owner. on Saturdays, days before holidays, and Christmas Eve (Sec. 12). Applicants must file a sworn application with the chief of police, be fingerprinted, and pass a moral-character investigation before a business license issues (Secs.
15). A dealer who violates the chapter faces license revocation after a public hearing before the chief of police, and cannot reapply for six months (Sec. 16).
Violations & Fines
Failing to keep the required bound ledger, failing to file daily reports with the chief of police by 10:00 a.m., refusing to exhibit records or held goods on demand, selling an item before its 30-day hold expires, receiving goods from an intoxicated person, or taking goods from a suspected thief or receiver of stolen property are each violations of Chapter 23 and grounds for license revocation after a public hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long must a Mountain View secondhand dealer hold an item before selling it?
What records must a secondhand dealer keep in Mountain View?
Can a secondhand dealer in Mountain View lose its license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mountain View
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