Washington County, OR Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Washington County Sheriff's Office
- Occasional dealer threshold
- up to 50 items/year
- Full dealer threshold
- 51+ items/year
- Standard holding period
- 15 calendar days
- Altered-serial holding period
- 90 days
- Permit expiration
- January 15 annually
- Max criminal penalty
- $500 fine, 1 year jail
Summary
Washington County requires a Sheriff's Office permit before anyone buys or resells used precious metals, jewelry, electronics, tools, firearms or other regulated secondhand goods in the county. Occasional dealers (up to 50 items a year) and full secondhand dealers (51 or more) each need a permit, renewed annually, under Washington County Code Chapter 5.04.
A. No person shall engage in, conduct or carry on an occasional secondhand dealer business or a secondhand dealer business in the county without a valid occasional secondhand dealer permit or a valid secondhand dealer permit issued by the sheriff. B. Upon purchasing fifty items of regulated property during any one-year period, an occasional secondhand dealer shall apply for and obtain a secondhand dealer permit before purchasing any more items of regulated property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Community Development Code: Supplement 2 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
04 covers anyone buying or reselling used precious metals, gems, jewelry, sterling silver, audio/video gear, cameras, office electronics, power tools, firearms, musical instruments and bicycles. 020 makes it unlawful to run an occasional secondhand dealer business (up to 50 items purchased per year) or a secondhand dealer business (51 or more) without a sheriff-issued permit; crossing the 50-item threshold triggers a mandatory upgrade to the full dealer permit. 040). Permits run through January 15 of the following year, are nontransferable, and must be displayed on the premises. 100). 110). 150).
Violations & Fines
Violating the permit, tagging, holding-period, or inspection provisions (§§ 5.04.020, 5.04.080, 5.04.090, 5.04.100, 5.04.110 or 5.04.130) is a prohibited act under § 5.04.120. Section 5.04.170 lets the sheriff pursue civil penalties under a board-adopted schedule, and a conviction for a prohibited act carries a fine of up to $500 plus up to one year in jail. A business operated in violation of the chapter is also declared a public nuisance, letting county counsel sue to shut it down or seize unlawfully obtained property (§ 5.04.160).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs a secondhand dealer permit in Washington County?
How long must a pawn or secondhand shop hold purchased goods?
How fast does the county issue a secondhand dealer permit?
What happens if a dealer violates the permit rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
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