North Las Vegas, NV Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Yes, before secondhand dealing (5.46.030)
- Semi-annual fee
- $150 (5.46.080)
- Late penalty
- 10% then 35%; revoked after 60 days
- Identifiable goods hold
- 30 days after police report
- Other goods hold
- 4 days after police report
- Third-offense fine
- $500-$2,000 + license revocation
Summary
North Las Vegas requires a city license to buy and resell used goods under Chapter 5.46, with a $150 semi-annual fee, daily police reporting of transactions, and escalating misdemeanor fines that climb to $2,000 plus license revocation on a third offense.
No person may engage in the business of a secondhand dealer without first obtaining and thereafter maintaining a valid, unexpired license pursuant to this Code. ... Each secondhand dealer must pay to the director in advance a semi-annual license fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 146 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
NLVMC 5.46.030 bars engaging in the secondhand dealer business without a valid, unexpired license. The chapter exempts licensed used-vehicle dealers, trade-ins up to 25% of gross sales, used books and periodicals, antiques, collectibles, non-jewelry coins, licensed junk dealers, scrap metal processors, and nonprofits (5.46.040). Section 5.46.080 sets a $150 semi-annual fee with the same escalating late penalties as pawnbrokers: 10% after the due date, 35% after 15 days, automatic revocation after 60 days, and a $500 reinstatement assessment on top of delinquent fees. Every applicant and key employee undergoes a police background investigation and suitability finding at their own expense (5.46.060), and applicants must obtain Title 17 land use approval before a license issues (5.46.050).
Dealers must keep a detailed purchase record, including the seller's name, age, driver's license number, and description of goods, open to inspection by the director or police (5.46.120), and must deliver a daily transcript of transactions to police before noon, except for used clothing transactions (5.46.130). Individually identifiable property must be held 30 days after the police report; all other secondhand property must be held four days (5.46.140). Dealers may not accept goods from anyone under 18, an intoxicated person, a habitual drunkard, drug user, felon, or known thief (5.46.150), and remain liable for their employees' violations (5.46.160).
Violations & Fines
Section 5.46.180 makes any violation of Chapter 5.46 a misdemeanor with escalating fines: up to $500 for a first offense, $500-$1,000 for a second, and $500-$2,000 plus revocation of the secondhand dealer's license for a third offense, on top of possible imprisonment up to six months in the city detention center. Court costs and assessments must be paid and cannot be suspended for any conviction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all secondhand and thrift businesses in North Las Vegas need a license?
How long must a North Las Vegas secondhand dealer hold purchased items before reselling?
What is the penalty for a repeat secondhand dealer violation in North Las Vegas?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in North Las Vegas
Compare North Las Vegas to another location·View the Nevada business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Secondhand Dealers in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Clark County handle secondhand dealers.