Waco, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

Division 2 of Article VIII (Secs. 13-326 through 13-339), adopted by Ordinance No. 2011-507, targets metal recycling entities, junk dealers, and secondhand dealers who buy or receive regulated metals, defined broadly to include copper pipe and wire, catalytic converters not attached to a vehicle, manhole covers, guardrails, street signs, and utility structure hardware, among others. Section 13-327(a) requires the dealer to enter, in a real-time electronic web-based database approved by the chief of police, a detailed record of every transaction the same day, including the seller's name and current address, a clear thumbprint impression, a photograph of the seller's face and identification, proof the seller is at least 18 through a driver's license, DPS ID card, or military ID, a description of the transport vehicle and its license plate, and a digital photograph of the item; the record must reach the police department's designated site by the close of business the following business day.

Section 13-331(a) then bars the dealer from selling, removing, dismantling, defacing, or otherwise altering any regulated metal for 72 hours after it is purchased or acquired, excluding weekends and holidays, and requires it be kept in the exact form received during that window. Section 13-330 forbids buying from a minor unless a parent or guardian is present and signs a written consent statement, except for aluminum cans. Section 13-334 extends the recordkeeping and hold rules to building construction materials such as copper pipe, wiring, and HVAC parts, and Section 13-335 bars purchasing property marked as city or utility property without written sales authorization. Section 13-339 makes any violation a misdemeanor, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.