Shelby County, TN Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Recordkeeping duty
- Bound register of every secondhand purchase, § 8-75
- Daily report deadline
- To police chief before 9:00 a.m., § 8-76
- Resale hold
- 24 hours after report delivered, § 8-77
- Minor transactions
- Written parent/guardian permission required, § 8-75
- Penalty
- $25.00 to $50.00 per violation, § 8-78
Summary
Shelby County requires every dealer in secondhand automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and their accessories to log each transaction in a bound register and report it to police daily, and it bars reselling any item for 24 hours after that report goes in. Trading with a minor requires the minor's parent or guardian to sign off in writing first.
It shall be the duty of every dealer in secondhand automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, and other self-propelled vehicles, and secondhand bicycles, and secondhand accessories for all such vehicles, to keep a well-bound book and enter therein in legible manuscript or typewriting a particular, minute and detailed description of every secondhand automobile, truck, motorcycle, or other self-propelled vehicle, and every secondhand bicycle, and all secondhand accessories of every kind for any of such vehicles bought, exchanged, or traded for by such dealer; also the name, race and residence of the persons selling, trading, or exchanging same. ... No secondhand automobile, truck, motorcycle or bicycle or any secondhand accessories purchased or traded for shall be disposed of or permitted to be sold or disposed of by a dealer for a period of 24 hours after the copy of the register, description and information required by this division shall have been delivered to the chief of police, chief of detectives, mayor or sheriff, as herein provided.
Full Breakdown
Shelby County Code § 8-75 requires every dealer in secondhand automobiles, trucks, motorcycles and other self-propelled vehicles, plus secondhand bicycles and accessories for those vehicles, to keep a well-bound book recording a particular, minute and detailed description of every secondhand item bought, exchanged or traded, along with the name, race and residence of the person selling, trading or exchanging it. Entries must be made immediately after the dealer acquires the vehicle or article, and the book must stay indexed and open at all times to inspection by police or other officers.
Trading with a minor is unlawful under any circumstances unless the minor's parent or guardian gives written permission that is filed with the transaction record. ; where there is no local police chief, the copy goes to the town or city mayor, or otherwise the county sheriff. Section 8-77 bars disposing of, selling, or permitting the sale of any of these secondhand items for 24 hours after that daily report has been delivered, giving law enforcement a window to check for stolen property before it changes hands again.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 8-78 fines a dealer's failure to keep the register, report daily, or observe the 24-hour hold not less than $25.00 and not more than $50.00. State law separately criminalizes odometer misrepresentation on used vehicles under T.C.A. § 39-14-132, and motor vehicle sales licensing runs through T.C.A. § 55-17-101 et seq.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who counts as a secondhand dealer under this law?
How soon can a dealer resell a secondhand vehicle or accessory?
Can a dealer buy from a minor?
What is the penalty for skipping the register or daily report?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shelby County
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