Shoreline, WA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License scope
- one per shop location, § 5.07.520
- Resale hold
- 10 days before resale, § 5.07.550
- Record retention
- 5 years, open to Shoreline PD, § 5.07.525/.540
- Weekly transcript
- due to Shoreline PD, § 5.07.535
- Key exemptions
- used books/media under $1,000, vehicles, nonprofits
Summary
Buying, selling, or trading secondhand goods in the City of Shoreline without a secondhand dealer's license is unlawful under SMC § 5.07.500. Dealers must report every purchase to the Shoreline Police Department and hold incoming goods for 10 days before resale (§ 5.07.550), and a separate license is required for each shop location (§ 5.07.520).
§ 5.07.500. License required. ... It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to engage in the business of buying, selling, or trading in secondhand goods in Shoreline without first obtaining a “secondhand dealer’s license” pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. ... ... § 5.07.520. More than one shop – Change of location. Any person having more than one place of business where secondhand goods are bought, sold, traded, bartered, or exchanged, shall be required to procure a separate license for each and every such place of business. ... ... § 5.07.550. No sale within 10 days. No dealer in secondhand goods shall sell or dispose of any article received or purchased by them or permit the same to be removed from their place of business within 10 days after the receipt of such goods has been reported to the Shoreline police department as provided herein, except when the goods have been inspected by regular members of the Shoreline police department, and they have authorized the secondhand dealer to dispose of such goods within a lesser period of time; provided, that consigned property sold at auction need only be held for three days prior to sale.
Full Breakdown
Shoreline's secondhand dealer ordinance, SMC §§ 5.07.500 through 5.07.560, requires a city license before buying, selling, trading, or auctioning secondhand goods, including used tires and auto parts, though it exempts rental-return resale, used books and media under $1,000 in value, used vehicle and boat sales, tax-exempt nonprofits, and household sales held no more than three times a year (§ 5.07.505). Applicants file with the clerk, and the Shoreline Police Department investigates before a license issues or renews (§ 5.07.510). Renewal is blocked until the dealer files a personal property tax return with the King County assessor (§ 5.07.515).
A dealer running more than one shop must obtain a separate license for each location, and a license cannot transfer between owners, though the clerk can update it to a new address for the same licensee (§ 5.07.520). Every purchase must be logged with the seller's name, signature, age, and address, a description of the item and its transaction date, and the price paid, kept for five years and open to police inspection (§ 5.07.525, § 5.07.540). A full transcript of each week's transactions goes to the Shoreline Police Department at the close of business every week, and any goods suspected stolen must be reported immediately (§ 5.07.535).
Purchased goods cannot be resold or removed from the shop for 10 days after the police are notified of the purchase, unless police inspect and authorize an earlier release; consigned auction goods need only be held three days (§ 5.07.550). Knowingly buying from a minor, an intoxicated person, or a known thief is separately unlawful (§ 5.07.555).
Violations & Fines
Dealing in secondhand goods without a license, selling before the 10-day police hold expires, falsifying or destroying the required transaction log, or knowingly buying from a minor or a known thief are each unlawful under SMC §§ 5.07.500, 5.07.530, 5.07.550, and 5.07.555, enforced as a misdemeanor under Chapter 5.07's general penalty at § 5.07.100.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long must a Shoreline secondhand dealer hold purchased goods before reselling them?
Does a used bookstore need a secondhand dealer's license in Shoreline?
Can one secondhand dealer's license cover two store locations?
What records must a Shoreline secondhand dealer keep?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shoreline
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