Southborough, MA Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

Chapter 143 layers Southborough's own rules on top of the state licensing law. Section 143-1 applies them to every person or party granted a license by the Select Board in accordance with MGL c. 140, §§ 54 and 202, covering dealers in junk, old metals and secondhand articles, junk collectors and pawnbrokers. The fee for the license is $50 per annum under § 143-2.

Record keeping is the core duty. Section 143-3 requires a permanent bound book with pages that are not removable, written at the time of receipt, with the day and hour of receipt, a specific physical description of the goods including color, weight, size and markings, and the name, address, age and driver's license number of the person who presents the goods. Where that person has no license, suitable pictured identification is required. Section 143-4 bars receiving goods from a minor, and the responsibility for determining age is on the licensee.

Holding periods are in § 143-5: 14 days for secondhand articles and junk, and seven days for old metals, precious metals, precious stones or jewelry, silver and gold. The metals and jewelry period drops to four days where the Board or designees is satisfied as to the appropriate origin or source of the goods. Goods are retained on the licensed premises.

Each license is effective at only one address and is conspicuously displayed there (§ 143-6). Books, records, goods and articles are available for inspection at all times and without prior notice by the Board or designees (§ 143-7). A new licensee, except one who held a similar Town license for the immediate previous twelve-month period, furnishes a bond in the sum the Board requires, executed with a surety company authorized to do business within the commonwealth (§ 143-8). Under § 143-9 these rules are incorporated into every license.