Rockland County, NY Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing agency
- Director of Consumer Protection
- Bond required
- $2,000 surety bond
- License expires
- November 30 annually
- Buying hours ban
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Minimum seller age
- 18 years old
- Resale hold period
- 20 days
- Unlicensed operation penalty
- Up to $1,000, 1 year jail
Summary
Anyone buying secondhand gold, silver, platinum or gems from the public in Rockland County needs a license from the county's Director of Consumer Protection before opening for business. Chapter 340 requires a $2,000 surety bond, bars purchases from anyone under 18 or between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and makes operating without the license a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.
No person shall, within the County of Rockland, establish, engage in or carry on, directly or indirectly, the business of dealing in secondhand precious metals or gems, either separately or in connection with some other business, without first having obtained and having in full force and effect a license as provided herein. ... Such application for a secondhand precious metal or gem dealer's license shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable filing fee in the amount as set forth under the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter and a bond or other surety to the County of Rockland in the sum of $2,000, conditioned on the due observance during the term of the license of any of the laws relating to such dealers. ... A failure to comply with the provisions of § 340-3 ... shall constitute a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 340, first adopted in 1980 and amended through 2013, requires anyone who buys gold, silver, platinum or gems from the public in Rockland County, whether as principal, broker or agent, to hold a secondhand precious metal or gem dealer's license issued by the county's Director of Consumer Protection. Section 340-4 requires each applicant to file fingerprints, two 2-inch by 2-inch photographs, a description of the business, proof of the right to occupy the premises, a 10-year criminal history disclosure, and a nonrefundable filing fee, plus a $2,000 bond or surety conditioned on compliance with the chapter.
Section 340-5 lets the Director deny a license to anyone convicted of a felony or misdemeanor in the last 10 years, or found by a court to have committed civil fraud, though the Director may still grant a license to a convicted applicant on a finding of good moral character. Every license expires November 30 and must be renewed as of December 1. , and from reselling or altering an item within 20 days of acquiring it. Section 340-12 requires a same-day purchase record with the seller's name, address and description, forwarded to the Rockland County Bureau of Criminal Identification within 48 hours.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the license required by Section 340-3, or failing to keep the daily purchase record required by Section 340-12A, is a Class A misdemeanor: up to $1,000 and a year in jail under Section 340-17A. Violating any other Chapter 340 provision, like the 20-day holding period or the nighttime buying ban, draws up to $250 and 15 days in jail under Section 340-17B, plus a civil penalty up to $1,000 per day the Director may impose, with each day counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who licenses secondhand gold and gem dealers in Rockland County?
How long must a Rockland County gem dealer hold purchased items before reselling?
Can a Rockland County dealer buy gold from a minor?
What happens if a Rockland County dealer operates without a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockland County
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