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Roswell, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

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

Key Facts

License fee
$300/year (established dealer)
Purchase hold
15 days before resale
Transaction reports
due within 24 hours
Minimum age to sell
18 years old

Summary

Roswell, Georgia requires anyone who buys and resells precious metals, gems, or jewelry from the public to register with police and hold a city business license.

No person shall engage in business as a dealer in precious metals or gems until he has registered with the chief of police or his designee for each separate place of business. A current business license is required in order to register and before one (1) can engage in business as a dealer in precious metals and gems. Registration shall be renewed annually upon payment of the required fee.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 5).

Full Breakdown

Roswell has no general 'secondhand dealer' article; its closest and controlling analog is Article 10.4, which regulates dealers who purchase precious metals, gems, or goods made from them from the public for resale. Dealers must register with the chief of police for each location, file a sworn application with fingerprints, and keep a permanent numbered record of every purchase. Purchased items must be held 15 days before being melted, remounted, or resold, dealers must admit police to inspect stock and records at any time, and every transaction must be reported to the chief of police within 24 hours. An established-dealer license costs $300 a year.

Violations & Fines

Failing to register each location, skipping or altering the required record book, refusing a police inspection, or reselling or altering an item before the 15-day hold expires are separate offenses under §§ 10.4.13–10.4.14, punishable under Section 1.1.3.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Roswell license general secondhand or junk dealers?
Roswell's code specifically licenses dealers in precious metals and gems under Article 10.4 rather than a general secondhand-goods category; that article is the city's controlling scheme for buying and reselling used valuables.
How long must a Roswell dealer hold an item before reselling it?
At least 15 calendar days from purchase under § 10.4.13(a)(6), unless police extend the hold in writing on suspicion the item was stolen.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Roswell

All Roswell rules

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