New York City requires a person or business that buys or sells used goods to hold a Secondhand Dealer General license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, known as DCWP. That covers buyers of old gold, silver, and platinum on Staten Island and in the other four boroughs. Whether a buyer holds that license is public information, and anyone can look it up.
You can look up a gold buyer’s license on DCWP’s free online search by entering the business name or license number, with no account needed. A licensed dealer also has to record each purchase and hold what it buys for 15 days before selling or melting it. If a storefront buyer doesn’t appear in the search, ask why before you hand anything over.
A Secondhand Dealer General license is the city license DCWP issues to businesses that buy or sell used goods in New York City. It runs for 2 years and expires on July 31 in odd-numbered years. The requirement covers Collectors Coins & Jewelry on Staten Island and every other storefront buyer in the city that buys gold jewelry, scrap, or coins.
How to Look Up a Buyer’s License
Start on DCWP’s Check License page, which links to its Search Business tool. Then take two steps:
- Search by name or number: enter the business name as it appears on the sign, or the license number if it’s posted.
- Match the address: confirm the listing’s address matches the store you’re visiting.
A store’s sign doesn’t always match the legal name on its license. If a search by the name on the sign comes up empty, try the company name printed on a receipt or business card, or ask the store for its DCWP license number and search that.
Two things can explain a missing result. DCWP notes that not every business needs one of its licenses. Its license checklist also says buying or selling “conducted exclusively online” is exempt. A mail-in or online-only gold buyer may not show up in the search for that reason, so the license check is most useful for a storefront buyer on Staten Island.
What a Licensed NYC Dealer Has to Do
A licensed dealer has to keep records of every purchase and hold what it buys before reselling it. Under the city’s Administrative Code, the record covers each item and its marks, and the seller’s name, residence, and general description. Dealers in precious metals also upload an electronic record of each purchase, with photos, to a service designated by the Police Commissioner.
The hold is 15 days. Under Admin Code §20-268, a dealer can’t sell or dispose of an item “until the expiration of fifteen days after such purchase.” The dealer can’t melt or refine items bought for that purpose during those 15 days either. A dealer also can’t buy from anyone it believes is a minor.
According to DCWP, the Secondhand Dealer General license no longer requires a surety bond or fingerprints as of September 8, 2026. The recordkeeping and hold rules above still apply.
A license check is only one part of vetting a buyer, so watch for a few other signs as well. A buyer should have a fixed address you can return to, should let you see your items weighed and examined, and should give you a record of the sale. Keep that record with the date and a description of what you sold.
Selling on Staten Island Without the Guesswork
With the license search, you can see whether the city has licensed a buyer. At an in-person evaluation, you can also watch the buyer weigh and examine your items before it makes an offer. At Collectors Coins & Jewelry on Staten Island, items are evaluated in front of you, and walk-ins are welcome. You can run the same license check before selling jewelry or gold and silver coins.
Check the Buyer, Then Bring Your Gold
Search for the buyer’s DCWP license before you sell anything in the city. Once you’ve found it, watch the buyer weigh and price your items. Bring it to Collectors Coins & Jewelry on Staten Island for a free, no-obligation evaluation, or call us at (718) 400-4653 and contact our Staten Island store with any questions first.