Yonkers, NY · city specifics
What's specific to Yonkers
At a glance
Local permit
Where to apply
Reporting system
Holding period
Fees
Fingerprinting
Want the whole picture? Get the federal, state and Yonkers rules together, for how you buy and sell.
Build my Yonkers plan →Yonkers has the longest effective hold of any city covered on this site, and the requirement that catches dealers out is that it is counted in business days. The state-level items are in the New York guide.
The licence
It is unlawful to act as a secondhand dealer, or to engage in the sale of used merchandise, without a licence in force (§ 31-205). The application goes to the Director and includes the kinds of goods you will sell and a business certificate issued by Westchester County (§ 31-206).
Two costs, not one:
- $250 per year for each location (§ 31-208(A)).
- A certificate of insurance for $10,000, naming the City of Yonkers as the certificate holder (§ 31-208(B)).
Garage sales and nonprofit organisations are exempt, with nonprofits keeping proof of status and their books on the premises.
Fifteen business days
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.
That is § 31-209(F). Counted in business days, a watch bought on a Monday generally cannot be sold for about three weeks once weekends are excluded — longer across a holiday. It runs from acquisition, so nothing you file changes it.
For a dealer whose margin depends on turn, this is the single most important line on the page. The carrying cost article covers what that wait costs, and the liquidity article covers buying with it in mind.
The other restrictions
- No purchases between midnight and 6:00 a.m. (§ 31-209(G)).
- No purchases from anyone you know or believe to be under 18 (§ 31-209(E)).
- Sell only from the licensed location (§ 31-209(D)), and don't stand in a public place offering goods for sale (§ 31-209(C)).
Records
Keep a book, legibly in English, written at the time of every purchase and every sale (§ 31-209.2(A)). It records the article and its numbers, any monograms, inscriptions or other marks of identification, a description of any old gold, silver, platinum, other metals, gems or jewelry with their marks, and the name, residence and general description of the person on the other side, with the day and hour.
The Commissioner may direct you to use a web-based reporting system instead of the book. Either way the records stay open at all reasonable times to the Office of Consumer Protection and the police, and a dealer served with written notice must report the records for the days specified (§ 31-209.3).
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
- Yes
- Official name
- Secondhand dealer licence, Yonkers City Code Art. XXVI (§§ 31-203 to 31-213), issued by the Director of the Office of Consumer Protection
- Who it applies to
- It is unlawful for any person or business to act as a secondhand dealer or engage in the sale of used merchandise without a licence in force (§ 31-205). The application states the kinds of goods to be sold and includes a business certificate issued by Westchester County (§ 31-206). Garage sales and nonprofit organisations are exempt, and nonprofits must keep proof of their status and their books on the premises (§ 31-204).
- Reporting system
- Yonkers Office of Consumer Protection and Police Department — records on demand rather than a daily filing
- What must be reported
- A book kept legibly in English, written at the time of every purchase and every sale, describing each article, its numbers and any monograms, inscriptions or other identifying marks; a description of pieces comprising old gold, silver, platinum, other metals, gems or jewelry with their marks; and the name, residence and general description of the person bought from or sold to, with the day and hour. The Commissioner may instead direct the use of a web-based reporting system (§ 31-209.2(A)).
- Reporting cadence
- Records are written at the time of each transaction and stay open at all reasonable times to inspection by the Office of Consumer Protection or a police officer (§ 31-209.2(B)); a dealer served with written notice must report the records for the days specified (§ 31-209.3).
- Holding period
- 15 business daysNo secondhand goods, articles or things may be sold or disposed of until the expiration of 15 business days after the dealer acquires them (§ 31-209(F)). Business days rather than calendar days, so a purchase typically cannot be resold for about three weeks — the longest effective hold of any city covered here. New York State sets no competing period.
- Fingerprinting
- Unclear — check with the cityArticle XXVI does not impose fingerprinting in the licence sections. It requires the application details in § 31-206 and gives the Director power to refuse, suspend or revoke a licence for fraud or misrepresentation and other listed causes (§ 31-209.1). Confirm what the current application form asks for.
- Zoning / home office
- The licence is issued for each location and a dealer may not engage in selling activities at any place other than the place of business designated in the licence (§ 31-209(D)), so a home-based dealer is licensing the home as the business location. Check what the lease or building allows separately.
- Fees
- $250.00 per year for each location, plus a certificate of insurance of $10,000 naming the City of Yonkers as certificate holder (§ 31-208)Renewal: Annual, per locationSource reviewed: 2026-09-22 (Yonkers City Code Art. XXVI; fee amended 6-1-2017 by G.O. No. 8-2017)
Confirm with your city
Every entry above came from the code or statute cited at the bottom of this page, read on the review date shown. Ordinances change between supplements, so confirm the permit, fee, reporting system, and holding period with the city office listed here before you rely on them.
Things to confirm
Confidence: ConfirmedOpen items a professional should verify before you rely on this page.
- Confirm how Yonkers counts business days for the § 31-209(F) hold across public holidays, and whether the Commissioner has directed a particular web-based reporting system in place of the written book.
Turn this guide into your plan
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Permits, fees and holding periods change without notice. We'll email you when this guide is re-verified, and what changed.
Sources
- Yonkers City Code Art. XXVI (Secondhand Dealers) - licence; fees; restrictions and records (§ 31-204 garage sales and nonprofit organisations are exempt; § 31-205 it is unlawful for any person or business to act as a secondhand dealer or engage in the sale of used merchandise without a licence in force; § 31-206 the application gives the kinds of goods to be sold and a business certificate issued by Westchester County; § 31-208 the fee is $250 per year for each location plus a certificate of insurance of $10000 naming the City as certificate holder; § 31-209(E) no purchases from a person known or believed to be under 18; § 31-209(F) no sale or disposal of any secondhand goods until the expiration of 15 business days after acquisition; § 31-209(G) no purchases between midnight and 6:00 a.m.; § 31-209.2 a book kept legibly in English at the time of every purchase and sale describing the article; its numbers; monograms; inscriptions or marks; old gold; silver; platinum or gems; the name; residence and general description of the other party and the day and hour; or a web-based reporting system as directed by the Commissioner; open at all reasonable times to inspection by the Office of Consumer Protection or a police officer) — retrieved 2026-09-22 · fee amended 2017-06-01 by G.O. 8-2017
- NY Department of Taxation and Finance - Register as a sales tax vendor (every person who sells taxable tangible personal property must register with the Tax Department through New York Business Express before beginning business, including sales made from home; registration produces a sales tax Certificate of Authority) — retrieved 2026-09-22 · page last reviewed 2025-07-25
Not legal advice. Confirm with your city or state office and a qualified professional.
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