Surprise, AZ Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

Under Sec. 26-230(a), a secondhand dealer or auction house must record an accurate description of each reportable item (including brand name and serial number), the price paid, the transaction date and time, a signed statement from the seller certifying ownership under penalty of a class 1 misdemeanor, and the seller's name, address, age and photo ID number. The report goes to the city electronically within 24 hours of receipt, and a copy must stay on the premises for six months. Subsection (b) then requires the dealer to hold the item at its business or a city-approved storage location for 10 calendar days after the report is delivered, without altering or transforming it.

Several transaction types are exempt from the reporting and hold rules under subsection (c): purchases of business inventory or equipment from another business with a fixed location, household-item purchases paid by check or documented cash receipt where the seller proves lawful possession, used clothing and footwear, used baby gear such as strollers, cribs and car seats, and partial trades of precious items like gold, silver or jewelry. Every dealer must keep a copy of Sec. 26-230 and related city policy on-site for employees and customers, and subsection (f) opens the business, its records and its stock to inspection by any law enforcement officer during regular hours.