Sterling Heights, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration
- Required before any purchase
- Certificate expires
- Every April 30
- Reporting
- Daily transaction reports to police
- 2nd violation
- Up to $500 fine, 90 days jail
- Exempt
- Compliant garage sales, antique dealers
Summary
Sterling Heights requires pawnshops, junk dealers, auto wreckers, and other secondhand merchants to register with the City Clerk, report transactions daily to police, and renew their certificate every April 30 under City Code § 12-21.
Every secondhand merchant shall register with the city as a secondhand merchant prior to undertaking any transactions involving secondhand personal property.... After the filing of a fully completed registration form and payment of the required fee, the City Clerk shall issue a certificate of registration.... The certificate of registration shall be effective until the following April 30.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-46: Local legislation current through Ord. 509, passed 5-19-26).
Full Breakdown
Sterling Heights requires every secondhand merchant -- pawnshops, junk dealers, auto wrecking yards, flea market dealers, jewelry and electronics resellers -- to register with the City Clerk before buying, receiving, or exchanging used goods. Registrants must report daily transaction details to the Police Department, including photos of unmarked jewelry and precious metals, and keep the certificate on file until it expires each April 30. Antique dealers, clothing consignees, and other listed businesses are exempt if that is their primary trade.
Violations & Fines
First offense is a municipal civil infraction under Chapter 1. A second violation within 12 months is a misdemeanor: up to 90 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both. A third within seven years can void the registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to register as a secondhand merchant in Sterling Heights?
What happens if a secondhand merchant doesn't register?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sterling Heights
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