NYC Admin Code Title 20 Chapter 2 Subchapter 28 requires anyone buying or selling used goods, including pawnshops, secondhand stores, and scrap-metal yards, to hold a DCWP secondhand-dealer license, keep daily transaction records, and file daily reports with the NYPD via the LeadsOnline system.
Admin Code §20-263 through §20-286 define secondhand dealers broadly to cover used merchandise, antiques, collectibles, scrap metal, and electronics. Each dealer must apply to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, post the license at the storefront, and use a serial-numbered transaction book or NYPD-approved electronic system. Daily uploads of transactions, including seller identification and item descriptions, go to the NYPD through LeadsOnline so detectives can match goods against stolen-property reports. A 30-day hold applies to most items so the city can recover stolen merchandise. Catalytic-converter buyers face additional 2023 state rules layered on top.
Unlicensed secondhand dealing is a misdemeanor under Admin Code §20-281 with fines up to $1,000 plus license forfeiture; failing to record or report transactions can trigger criminal possession of stolen-property charges if the goods turn out to be stolen.
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