Orange County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License required by
- Sheriff (issuing officer)
- Applies in
- Unincorporated Orange County only
- License term
- 1 year, renewable
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine / 6 months jail
Summary
Anyone buying, selling, pawning, consigning or auctioning secondhand personal property in unincorporated Orange County must first get a county license before opening for business.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to engage in, conduct, manage or carry on any of the following businesses, practices, professions or occupations within the unincorporated area of the County of Orange without first having obtained a permit or license therefor in accordance with Divisions 2 and 3 of this title. ... (q)Retail sale of concealable firearms;(r)Secondhand dealer;(s)Security system or security officer;...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 157).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 5-1-29 makes it unlawful to "engage in, conduct, manage or carry on" a secondhand-dealer business in unincorporated Orange County "without first having obtained a permit or license" under Divisions 2 and 3 of Title 5. Section 5-1-1 defines a secondhand dealer as anyone buying, selling, trading, pawning, consigning or auctioning used personal property, or running an auction where two or more people sell used goods for a fee. The Sheriff issues the license under the Division 2 application, fee, denial and revocation procedures.
Violations & Fines
Operating as an unlicensed secondhand dealer is a Code violation; under the general penalty section (§ 1-1-34) an unspecified Code violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, six months in County Jail, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this cover pawnshops in Anaheim or Santa Ana?
Who counts as a secondhand dealer under the county code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Orange County
California rules heatmap·Compare Orange County to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
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