Richardson, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

Chapter 13's Article V, 'Regulated Property,' exists, per section 13-125, to discourage dealing in stolen property by forcing anyone who buys designated used goods for resale to document where the item came from. Section 13-126 defines 'regulated property' to include electronic equipment, business machines, cameras and photographic gear, power tools, musical instruments, firearms, jewelry, crafted precious metals such as gold or silver items, computers, radios and telecommunications equipment, electronic storage devices, and lawn maintenance equipment. A dealer who buys from a manufacturer or 'authorized vendor' need only keep a serialized, itemized sales record identifying the supplier and describing the item by make, model, serial number, color and size.

But if the purchase comes from anyone else, section 13-127(2) requires the dealer to record the seller's name, sex, race, date of birth, weight, height, address and driver's license or state ID number, verify the ID photo matches the seller, take the seller's thumbprint (or index fingerprint if no thumb is available), tag the item with the sales-record serial number, and withhold the item from resale for 20 business days after purchase. Records must be kept for two years after purchase or until the item sells, whichever is later, and made available to any peace officer for inspection during regular business hours under sections 13-127(3) and 13-128.

Section 13-129 makes it an offense to violate the article, to resell before the 20-day hold expires, to lack the required records, to refuse a peace officer's inspection request, or to buy, offer or sell property with an altered or removed serial number.