San Antonio, TX · city specifics
What's specific to San Antonio
At a glance
Local permit
Where to apply
Reporting system
Holding period
Fees
Fingerprinting
Want the whole picture? Get the federal, state and San Antonio rules together, for how you buy and sell.
Build my San Antonio plan →San Antonio keeps its secondhand-dealer rules light: Chapter 16, Article VIII of the City Code adds record-keeping and stolen-article duties but no separate city license. The specifics below are what San Antonio adds on top of the state rules — the state-wide substance is in the Texas guide.
Local details
Everything a city page adds on top of the state rules. Fields that weren't found in the source are marked so — confirm them with the city, never assume.
- Permit required
- No
- Official name
- Not confirmed — check with the city
- Who it applies to
- San Antonio does not impose a separate city secondhand-dealer license. Chapter 16, Article VIII ("Pawnbrokers, Jewelers and Secondhand Dealers") adds record-keeping (§ 16-211), a no-minors rule (§ 16-212), and stolen-article handling (§ 16-213) — but no city registration, fee, or holding period. Licensing and police reporting for a covered dealer come from the state crafted-precious-metal-dealer framework (see the Texas guide).
- Office
- San Antonio Police Department — records open to the chief of police (§ 16-211)
- Reporting system
- San Antonio Police Department — records inspection (§ 16-211)
- What must be reported
- Keep a record book of each transaction — the date of purchase and of disposition, a description of the goods including serial numbers where available, and, if sold, to whom and the price. The books are open to inspection by the chief of police or an agent at all times, without a warrant. Do not do business with minors (§ 16-212), and handle suspected stolen or lost articles as the article requires (§ 16-213).
- Reporting cadence
- Records kept and open to police inspection at all times; state law separately requires a covered crafted-precious-metal dealer to report purchases to the police within 48 hours.
- Holding period
- Not confirmed — check with the citySan Antonio's Article VIII sets no city holding period; a covered crafted-precious-metal dealer follows the state retention rule (see the Texas guide).
- Fingerprinting
- NoArticle VIII imposes record-keeping and conduct rules, not city licensing or fingerprinting.
- Zoning / home office
- Not confirmed — check with the city
- Fees
- No city secondhand-dealer fee — Article VIII imposes record-keeping, not a license.Source reviewed: 2026-09-21 (San Antonio Code Ch. 16, Art. VIII, current Aug 2026)
Confirm with your city
Anything marked “Not confirmed” above wasn't in the source we reviewed. Before you rely on it, confirm the permit, fee, reporting system, and holding period directly with the city office listed here, and check the sources at the bottom of this page.
Things to confirm
Confidence: ConfirmedOpen items a professional should verify before you rely on this page.
- Confirm whether the state crafted-precious-metal-dealer registration and reporting reach your inventory (see the Texas guide) — San Antonio itself adds no separate license.
Turn this guide into your plan
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Sources
- San Antonio Code Ch. 16 Art. VIII Pawnbrokers Jewelers and Secondhand Dealers (Sec 16-211 record book of transactions open to the chief of police; 16-212 no business with minors; 16-213 stolen/lost articles; no separate city license fee or holding period) — retrieved 2026-09-21 · current (Aug 2026)
- Texas Occupations Code 1956.001 Definitions — crafted precious metal and jewelry store; excludes items selling at 105%+ of scrap value — retrieved 2026-09-21 · current (through 2023 Leg.)
- Texas Occupations Code 1956.0612 Registration as a crafted precious metal dealer with the Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) — retrieved 2026-09-21 · current
- Texas Occupations Code 1956.062-063 Report of purchase to the municipal police chief or county sheriff within 48 hours — retrieved 2026-09-21 · current
- Texas Occupations Code 1956.064 Required retention of crafted precious metal until the 11th day after the report — retrieved 2026-09-21 · current
Not legal advice. Confirm with your city or state office and a qualified professional.
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