Westchester cities require secondhand goods dealers and pawnbrokers to register locally, hold purchased items for a waiting period, and report transactions to police via electronic systems such as LeadsOnline to deter trafficking in stolen property.
Most Westchester cities follow NY General Business Law Article 5 for pawnbrokers and Article 6 for secondhand dealers. Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and White Plains require local licenses, photo ID for sellers, and 15 to 30 day holding periods on incoming goods. Daily transaction reports must be uploaded to a police-accessible database. Items reported stolen can be placed on a police hold. The county itself does not issue licenses but Westchester County Police share intelligence with municipal departments and the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.
Failure to register, missing transaction reports, or selling within the hold period can produce misdemeanor charges, fines per item, and revocation of the local license.
See how White Plains's secondhand dealers rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.