Wilmington secondhand dealers and pawnshops must register with Wilmington Police, retain purchased goods for a holding period, and report transactions to assist in stolen-property recovery under Delaware Title 24.
Secondhand dealers, pawnbrokers, and precious-metals buyers operating in Wilmington must comply with Delaware Title 24 Chapter 23 (secondhand dealers), which requires record-keeping of seller identification, item descriptions, and transaction dates. Wilmington Police Department maintains reporting protocols and may inspect logs. Items typically must be held for a state-mandated period before resale to allow theft recovery. A city business license under Chapter 5 is also required, plus location-based zoning compliance.
Failure to keep transaction logs, refusing police inspection, or failing to honor holding periods can result in license revocation, fines, and criminal charges under DE Title 24.
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