Ulster County, NY Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- License issuer
- Ulster County Clerk
- Application fee
- $25
- License term
- 2 years
- Resale hold
- 3 business days minimum
Summary
Ulster County requires anyone buying and reselling secondhand jewelry, precious metals, electronics or coins to hold a County Clerk-issued dealer license.
No person shall engage in any business as a dealer in secondhand articles without obtaining a license therefor in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this chapter.
B. A licensee shall display the license obtained pursuant to this chapter in the establishment. If a licensee shall maintain more then one establishment within the County of Ulster, he shall obtain duplicate licenses.
C. All licenses under this chapter shall be issued by the County Clerk of Ulster County. No license shall be issued until:
(1) The licensing fees have been paid.
(2) The party seeking the license has filed an application for secondhand articles license with the County Clerk of Ulster County.
(3) The licensee has been provided with a copy of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4818905; v25 updated 2025-11-18; through 11-18-2025).
Full Breakdown
Ulster County requires any person doing business as a dealer in secondhand articles, items like precious metals, jewelry, cameras, electronics and certain coins, to obtain a license from the Ulster County Clerk before operating. Licensees must display the license at each establishment, keep a bound, serially numbered record of every purchase including the seller's ID and description of the item, hold purchased articles for at least three business days before resale, and make records available for law-enforcement inspection. Charitable organizations, licensed wholesale dealer-to-dealer transactions, and sales at the seller's own residence are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision is punishable by a fine of up to $500 or up to 15 days imprisonment, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs a secondhand dealer license in Ulster County?
How long must a dealer hold an item before reselling it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ulster County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Ulster County to another location·View the New York business licensing & operations overview
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