{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/54.1-4108.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/54.1-4108.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/54.1-4108.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/54.1-4108.html"}],"law_id":61068,"edition_id":1,"section_id":61068,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4108","catch_line":"Permit required; method of obtaining permit; no convictions of certain crimes; approval of weighing devices; renewal; permanent location required","history":"1981, c. 581, \u00a7 54-859.23; 1986, c. 316; 1988, c. 765; 2014, cc. 22, 611.","full_text":"A\n\nNo person shall engage in the activities of a dealer as defined in § 54.1-4100 without first obtaining a permit from the chief law-enforcement officer of each county, city, or town in which he proposes to engage in business.B\n\nTo obtain a permit, the dealer shall file with the proper chief law-enforcement officer an application form which includes the dealer’s full name, any aliases, address, age, date of birth, sex, and fingerprints; the name, address, and telephone number of the applicant’s employer, if any; and the location of the dealer’s place of business. Upon filing this application and the payment of a $200 application fee, the dealer shall be issued a permit by the chief law-enforcement officer or his designee, provided that the applicant has not been convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude within seven years prior to the date of application. The permit shall be denied if the applicant has been denied a permit or has had a permit revoked under any ordinance similar in substance to the provisions of this chapter.C\n\nBefore a permit may be issued, the dealer must have all weighing devices used in his business inspected and approved by local or state weights and measures officials and present written evidence of such approval to the proper chief law-enforcement officer.D\n\nThis permit shall be valid for one year from the date issued and may be renewed in the same manner as such permit was initially obtained with an annual permit fee of $200. No permit shall be transferable.E\n\nIf the business of the dealer is not operated without interruption, with Saturdays, Sundays, and recognized holidays excepted, the dealer shall notify the proper chief law-enforcement officer of all closings and reopenings of such business. The business of a dealer shall be conducted only from the fixed and permanent location specified in his application for a permit.F\n\nThe chief law-enforcement officer may waive the permit fee for retail merchants that are not required to be licensed as pawnbrokers under Chapter 40 (§ 54.1-4000 et seq.), provided the retail merchant has a permanent place of business and purchases of precious metals and gems do not exceed five percent of the retail merchant’s annual business.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":223282,"text":"No person shall engage in the activities of a dealer as defined in § 54.1-4100 without first obtaining a permit from the chief law-enforcement officer of each county, city, or town in which he proposes to engage in business.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":223283,"text":"To obtain a permit, the dealer shall file with the proper chief law-enforcement officer an application form which includes the dealer’s full name, any aliases, address, age, date of birth, sex, and fingerprints; the name, address, and telephone number of the applicant’s employer, if any; and the location of the dealer’s place of business. Upon filing this application and the payment of a $200 application fee, the dealer shall be issued a permit by the chief law-enforcement officer or his designee, provided that the applicant has not been convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude within seven years prior to the date of application. The permit shall be denied if the applicant has been denied a permit or has had a permit revoked under any ordinance similar in substance to the provisions of this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":223284,"text":"Before a permit may be issued, the dealer must have all weighing devices used in his business inspected and approved by local or state weights and measures officials and present written evidence of such approval to the proper chief law-enforcement officer.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":223285,"text":"This permit shall be valid for one year from the date issued and may be renewed in the same manner as such permit was initially obtained with an annual permit fee of $200. No permit shall be transferable.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":223286,"text":"If the business of the dealer is not operated without interruption, with Saturdays, Sundays, and recognized holidays excepted, the dealer shall notify the proper chief law-enforcement officer of all closings and reopenings of such business. The business of a dealer shall be conducted only from the fixed and permanent location specified in his application for a permit.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":223287,"text":"The chief law-enforcement officer may waive the permit fee for retail merchants that are not required to be licensed as pawnbrokers under Chapter 40 (§ 54.1-4000 et seq.), provided the retail merchant has a permanent place of business and purchases of precious metals and gems do not exceed five percent of the retail merchant’s annual business.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14670,"edition_id":1,"name":"Precious Metals Dealers","identifier":"41","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13011,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:15","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:15","permalink":{"id":244523,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14670,"identifier":"41","token":"54.1\/V\/41","url":"\/54.1\/V\/41\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13011,"edition_id":1,"name":"Occupations Regulated by Local Governing Bodies","identifier":"V","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12754,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:08","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:08","permalink":{"id":244463,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13011,"identifier":"V","token":"54.1\/V","url":"\/54.1\/V\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12754,"edition_id":1,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":239313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12754,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":69734,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4100","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/54.1-4100\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4100","metadata":false},{"id":85357,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4101","catch_line":"Records to be kept; copy furnished to local authorities","url":"\/54.1-4101\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4101","metadata":false},{"id":76346,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4101.1","catch_line":"Officers may examine records or property; warrantless search and seizure authorized","url":"\/54.1-4101.1\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4101.1","metadata":false},{"id":68928,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4102","catch_line":"Credentials and statement of ownership required from seller","url":"\/54.1-4102\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4102","metadata":false},{"id":68285,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4103","catch_line":"Prohibited purchases","url":"\/54.1-4103\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4103","metadata":false},{"id":78174,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4104","catch_line":"Dealer to retain purchases","url":"\/54.1-4104\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4104","metadata":false},{"id":57807,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4105","catch_line":"Record of disposition","url":"\/54.1-4105\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4105","metadata":false},{"id":62518,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4106","catch_line":"Bond or letter of credit required of dealers when permit obtained","url":"\/54.1-4106\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4106","metadata":false},{"id":81675,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4107","catch_line":"Private action on bond or letter of credit","url":"\/54.1-4107\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4107","metadata":false},{"id":61068,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4108","catch_line":"Permit required; method of obtaining permit; no convictions of certain crimes; approval of weighing devices; renewal; permanent location required","url":"\/54.1-4108\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4108","metadata":false},{"id":56271,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4109","catch_line":"Exemptions from chapter","url":"\/54.1-4109\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4109","metadata":false},{"id":86215,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4110","catch_line":"Penalties; first and subsequent offenses","url":"\/54.1-4110\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4110","metadata":false},{"id":75631,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4111","catch_line":"Local ordinances","url":"\/54.1-4111\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4111","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":81675,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4107","catch_line":"Private action on bond or letter of credit","url":"\/54.1-4107\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4107","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":56271,"structure_id":14670,"section_number":"54.1-4109","catch_line":"Exemptions from chapter","url":"\/54.1-4109\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4109","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-4108\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1981. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 581 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1981 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1986, chapter 316; in 1988, chapter 765; in 2014, chapters 22<\/a> and 611<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":62518,"section_number":"54.1-4106","catch_line":"Bond or letter of credit required of dealers when permit obtained","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-4106\/"},{"id":75631,"section_number":"54.1-4111","catch_line":"Local ordinances","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-4111\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":59490,"section_number":"54.1-4000","catch_line":"Definition of pawnbroker","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-4000\/"},{"id":69734,"section_number":"54.1-4100","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-4100\/"}],"permalink":{"id":244561,"object_type":"law","relational_id":61068,"identifier":"54.1-4108","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4108","url":"\/54.1-4108\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-4108\/","token":"54.1\/V\/41\/54.1-4108","dublin_core":{"Title":"Permit required; method of obtaining permit; no convictions of certain crimes; approval of weighing devices; renewal; permanent location required","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-4108","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> No person shall engage in the activities of a dealer<\/span> as defined in § 54.1-4100<\/a> without first obtaining a permit from the chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer of each county, city, or town in which he proposes to engage in business. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> To obtain a permit, the dealer<\/span> shall file with the proper chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer an application form which includes the dealer<\/span>’s full name, any aliases, address, age, date of birth, sex, and fingerprints; the name, address, and telephone number of the applicant’s employer, if any; and the location of the dealer<\/span>’s place of business. Upon filing this application and the payment of a $200 application fee, the dealer<\/span> shall be issued a permit by the chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer or his designee, provided that the applicant has not been convicted of a felony<\/span> or crime<\/span> of moral turpitude<\/span> within seven years prior to the date of application. The permit shall be denied if the applicant has been denied a permit or has had a permit revoked under any ordinance<\/span> similar in substance to the provisions of this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Before a permit may be issued, the dealer<\/span> must have all weighing devices used in his business inspected and approved by local or state weights and measures officials and present written evidence<\/span> of such approval to the proper chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> This permit shall be valid for one year from the date issued and may be renewed in the same manner as such permit was initially obtained with an annual permit fee of $200. No permit shall be transferable. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> If the business of the dealer<\/span> is not operated without interruption, with Saturdays, Sundays, and recognized holidays excepted, the dealer<\/span> shall notify the proper chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer of all closings and reopenings of such business. The business of a dealer<\/span> shall be conducted only from the fixed and permanent location specified in his application for a permit. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> The chief law<\/span>-enforcement officer may waive<\/span> the permit fee for retail merchants that are not required to be licensed as pawnbrokers under Chapter 40 (§ 54.1-4000<\/a> et seq.), provided the retail merchant has a permanent place of business and purchases of precious metals<\/span> and gems<\/span> do not exceed five percent of the retail merchant’s annual business. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPERMIT REQUIRED; METHOD OF OBTAINING PERMIT; NO CONVICTIONS OF CERTAIN CRIMES;\nAPPROVAL OF WEIGHING DEVICES; RENEWAL; PERMANENT LOCATION REQUIRED (\u00a7\n54.1-4108)\n\nA. No person shall engage in the activities of a dealer as defined in §\n54.1-4100 without first obtaining a permit from the chief law-enforcement\nofficer of each county, city, or town in which he proposes to engage in\nbusiness.\n\nB. To obtain a permit, the dealer shall file with the proper chief\nlaw-enforcement officer an application form which includes the dealer’s\nfull name, any aliases, address, age, date of birth, sex, and fingerprints; the\nname, address, and telephone number of the applicant’s employer, if any;\nand the location of the dealer’s place of business. Upon filing this\napplication and the payment of a $200 application fee, the dealer shall be\nissued a permit by the chief law-enforcement officer or his designee, provided\nthat the applicant has not been convicted of a felony or crime of moral\nturpitude within seven years prior to the date of application. The permit shall\nbe denied if the applicant has been denied a permit or has had a permit revoked\nunder any ordinance similar in substance to the provisions of this chapter.\n\nC. Before a permit may be issued, the dealer must have all weighing devices used\nin his business inspected and approved by local or state weights and measures\nofficials and present written evidence of such approval to the proper chief\nlaw-enforcement officer.\n\nD. This permit shall be valid for one year from the date issued and may be\nrenewed in the same manner as such permit was initially obtained with an annual\npermit fee of $200. No permit shall be transferable.\n\nE. If the business of the dealer is not operated without interruption, with\nSaturdays, Sundays, and recognized holidays excepted, the dealer shall notify\nthe proper chief law-enforcement officer of all closings and reopenings of such\nbusiness. The business of a dealer shall be conducted only from the fixed and\npermanent location specified in his application for a permit.\n\nF. The chief law-enforcement officer may waive the permit fee for retail\nmerchants that are not required to be licensed as pawnbrokers under Chapter 40\n(§ 54.1-4000 et seq.), provided the retail merchant has a permanent place\nof business and purchases of precious metals and gems do not exceed five percent\nof the retail merchant’s annual business.\n\nHISTORY: 1981, c. 581, \u00a7 54-859.23; 1986, c. 316; 1988, c. 765; 2014, cc. 22,\n611.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}