Orlando secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers register with the Orlando Police Department under Florida Statute Chapter 538, reporting daily transactions to a statewide pawn database to assist stolen-property recovery investigations.
Florida Statute Chapter 538 (Commercial Recordkeeping) regulates secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers, requiring transaction reporting, photo identification of sellers, and minimum hold periods on purchased goods. Orlando dealers register with OPD and submit daily transaction reports to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's pawn database. Items must be held a minimum of 30 days before resale to allow law-enforcement review for stolen-property matches. Pawnbrokers separately license under FL §539 and post fidelity bonds. The downtown and tourist corridors include numerous gold-buying and electronics-resale storefronts subject to spot inspections.
Failing to register, omitting transaction reports, paying cash for unverified sellers, or reselling before the hold period expires results in fines, license revocation, and criminal charges.
See how Orlando's secondhand dealers rules stack up against other locations.
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