Yonkers, NY Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual license fee
- $250 per location (§ 31-208)
- Required insurance
- $10,000 certificate naming the City
- Resale hold period
- 15 business days before reselling item
- Buying hours ban
- No purchases 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Minimum seller age
- Cannot buy from anyone under 18
- Records kept
- At least two years, police-inspectable
- Penalty
- Class II offense; recordkeeping breach is Class I
Summary
Yonkers requires anyone who commercially buys or sells secondhand goods, from jewelry and coins to general used merchandise, to hold a secondhand dealer license from the Office of Licensing. § 31-205 makes operating without one unlawful, and licensees must hold every purchased item at least 15 business days and cannot buy from anyone between midnight and 6 a.m.
§ 31-205. License required. It shall be unlawful for any person or business to act as secondhand dealer and/or engage in the sale of used merchandise without first having obtained and having in force and effect a license therefor. ... F. Not sell or dispose of any secondhand goods, articles, or things until the expiration of 15 business days after the acquisition by such dealer of such articles. G. Not purchase any secondhand goods, articles, or things from any person between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4745274; v31 updated 2025-10-28; through 10-28-2025).
Full Breakdown
O. No. 8-2004, defines a secondhand dealer as anyone who commercially buys or sells used articles other than automobiles or firearms, which need their own separate licenses, and who typically deals in items such as secondhand gold, silver, platinum, gems, jewelry, coins, stamps and currency, per § 31-203. § 31-206 requires a written application to the Director listing the applicant's vehicles, the goods to be sold, the applicant's name, address and age, and a Westchester County business certificate. § 31-210 obligates a dealer who receives goods matching a newspaper lost-or-stolen notice to report them to the Police Commissioner.
Violations & Fines
Acting as an unlicensed secondhand dealer, or otherwise violating Article XXVI, is a Class II offense under § 31-213, except violating the § 31-209.2 recordkeeping requirement, which is a Class I offense. Citywide, § 1-21 sets Class I fines from $250 to $10,000 or up to a year in jail; Class II fines run $100 to $5,000 or up to 15 days. The Director can also refuse, suspend or revoke the license under § 31-209.1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to run a secondhand shop in Yonkers?
How long must a Yonkers secondhand dealer hold an item before reselling it?
Can a Yonkers secondhand dealer buy from a seller at 2 a.m.?
Are garage sales required to get a Yonkers secondhand dealer license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yonkers
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How other cities in Westchester County handle secondhand dealers.