Secondhand goods dealers and pawnbrokers in Pittsburgh must hold a Pennsylvania pawnbroker license and a city business privilege license, plus report transactions through Pittsburgh Bureau of Police's electronic database to support stolen-property recovery.
Pennsylvania's Pawnbrokers License Act, 63 P.S. Section 281, governs licensing of pawnbrokers, jewelry buyers, and precious-metals dealers, requiring background checks, bonded operations, and interest-rate compliance. In Pittsburgh, these businesses must additionally hold a city business privilege license and submit daily transaction records, including seller identification and item descriptions, into a regional reporting system used by Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Allegheny County investigators. Mandatory hold periods, typically 15 days, give detectives time to match reported items against stolen-property records before resale. Antique dealers, consignment shops, and Goodwill-style charities have varying coverage based on the items handled.
Failing to license, report transactions, or honor hold periods brings city license revocation, PA Department of Banking penalties, and theft-receiving criminal charges if stolen goods are resold.
See how Pittsburgh's secondhand dealers rules stack up against other locations.
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