Puyallup, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Property hold before resale
- 30 days after police report
- Exempt property types
- Stamps, legal coins, hallmarked bullion, books
- Clothing exemption threshold
- $75.00 resale value or less
- Record inspection access
- City attorney or any police officer
- Misdemeanor fine
- Up to $500.00
Summary
Puyallup secondhand dealers, defined as anyone buying or selling used personal property or scrap metal, must hold bought items 30 days before resale and are covered by the same recordkeeping and police-reporting duties as pawnbrokers under PMC Chapter 5.32, Article IV.
"Secondhand dealer" means every person engaged in whole or in part in the business of buying or selling secondhand personal property, metal junk or melted metals. " ... Secondhand property" means any item of personal property offered for sale which is not new, including metals in any form, except postage stamps, coins that are legal tender, bullion in the form of fabricated, hallmarked bars, used books, and clothing of a resale value of $75.00 or less, except furs. ... No property bought or received in pledge by any pawnbroker or secondhand dealer shall be removed from his or her place of business, except when redeemed by the owner thereof, within 30 days after the receipt thereof has been reported to the chief of police as provided in PMC § 5.32.200.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4985225; v6 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
00 or less other than furs. 190. 210, which gives a stolen-goods owner a 30-day window to trace and recover an item before it can be resold or melted down.
Violations & Fines
A secondhand dealer, clerk, agent or employee who fails to log a required entry, falsifies or destroys the record book, refuses inspection, files a false police report, misses the daily reporting deadline, releases property before the 30-day hold expires, or buys from a minor or an intoxicated person is guilty of a misdemeanor under § 5.32.240, punishable by a fine of up to $500.00.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a secondhand dealer in Puyallup?
How long must a secondhand dealer hold purchased goods?
Is used clothing covered by the secondhand dealer rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Puyallup
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Secondhand Dealers in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle secondhand dealers.