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Rancho Cordova, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

License type
Special business license, RCMC Ch. 4.10 & 4.30
Issuing authority
Chief of Police
Weekly report due
10:00 a.m. every Saturday
Resale hold
1 week after filing report
Prohibited hours
Midnight-7am Sat-Mon; 7pm-7am other nights
Penalty
Up to $1,000 fine or 6 months jail

Summary

Rancho Cordova requires every secondhand dealer to hold a special business license under RCMC Chapters 4.10 and 4.30 before buying, selling or otherwise dealing in used goods, furniture, wares, coins or merchandise. Dealers must file a weekly transaction report with the chief of police, keep full records open to inspection, and hold sold items for at least a week.

§ 4.30.005. License required. ... It is unlawful for any person to operate or conduct the business of pawnbroker, secondhand dealer, junk dealer or junk collector, unless under and by authority of a valid, unexpired and unrevoked special business license issued pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 4.10 RCMC and this chapter. § ... 4.30.010. ... Definitions. ... "Secondhand dealer" shall mean a person engaged in conducting, managing or carrying on the business of buying, selling or otherwise dealing in secondhand goods, furniture, wares, coins or merchandise.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4660102; v2 updated 2026-03-02; through 03-02-2026).

Full Breakdown

30. 040(C) unless a listed applicant was actually convicted of an offense described by Business and Professions Code § 21641, and the same standard governs revocation. 025 spells out the required contents, including a physical description of the seller. 040 requires both the report and the record to be kept in English. 045, unless the item is a motor vehicle cleared through the DMV. m. any other night. 090 requires immediate telephone notice to police of any property a dealer knows or should know is stolen.

Violations & Fines

Chapter 4.30 sets no separate penalty, so RCMC § 1.01.190(E) governs: operating without the license, skipping the Saturday report, or reselling merchandise inside the one-week hold is a misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in county jail, or both, with each day of the violation charged separately. The chief of police can also suspend or revoke the license under RCMC § 4.10.135.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a secondhand store need a city license in Rancho Cordova?
Yes. RCMC § 4.30.005 makes it unlawful to conduct the business of buying, selling or dealing in secondhand goods anywhere in the city without a special business license issued under Chapter 4.10 and Chapter 4.30. Denial or revocation over an owner's background is limited to an actual conviction under Business and Professions Code § 21641.
What must a secondhand dealer report to police each week?
RCMC § 4.30.020 requires a full report, mailed by 10:00 a.m. every Saturday, describing every item received on deposit, pledged or purchased that week, plus a physical description of the seller: height, age, sex, complexion and any facial hair, on a form the chief of police supplies.
How long must a secondhand dealer hold merchandise before reselling it?
At least one week after filing the required weekly report describing that item, under RCMC § 4.30.045. Motor vehicles that have been cleared for transfer by the California DMV are exempt from the hold.
Can a secondhand dealer buy from a minor?
Only with written, signed parental or guardian consent to that specific transaction, kept on file and shown to police on request, under RCMC § 4.30.055. Buying from anyone who appears intoxicated is prohibited outright.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Rancho Cordova

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