Second-hand Goods Dealer License Application and Renewal Services
Shops that buy or sell used goods as a business must obtain a second-hand goods dealer license under the Act on the Control of Auction Sales and Second-hand Goods Trading B.E. 2474 (1931) before opening. Applications are filed with the Department of Provincial Administration (Bangkok) or the district administration office (other provinces), and licenses expire every December 31. Greenpro KSP handles new license applications and renewals for you. Service fees start at 6,000 baht, excluding government fees of 2,500–7,500 baht per year depending on the type of second-hand goods.
New licenses
and annual renewals
Guidance on the Appropriate License Category
and Applicable Fees
30 years of experience
Over 20 shops served
What Is a Second-hand Goods Dealer License, and Who Needs One?
Under the law, second-hand goods are property offered for sale, exchange or disposal as used goods, including antiques. Anyone who trades in second-hand goods or conducts auction sales as a business must obtain a license before starting the business, and licenses are issued per premises as specified in the application. What people commonly call a “second-hand buying license” or a “second-hand trading license” is this license.
Examples of Businesses That Need a License
- Shops buying second-hand goods, scrap metal, paper and plastic
- Second-hand mobile phone, computer, camera or electrical appliance shops
- Second-hand clothing and second-hand furniture shops
- Gold or jewelry shops that buy second-hand items for resale
- Used car lots
- Amulet, collectibles and antique shops (an additional license from the Fine Arts Department is required for antiques or objects of art)
- Auction organizers or auctioneers (an auction sales license is used)
Occasionally selling your own personal belongings, without buying items for resale as a business, generally does not require a second-hand goods dealer license. For tax on selling personal belongings, see “Do you pay tax when selling personal belongings?”
License Types
- Second-hand goods dealing: antiques or objects of art
- Second-hand goods dealing: diamonds, precious stones, gold, nak (pink gold), silver or gems
- Second-hand goods dealing: cars
- Second-hand goods dealing: other types, such as mobile phones, computers, watches, amulets, electrical appliances, furniture, spare parts, scrap metal, paper and plastic
- Auction sales
Applicant Qualifications
- At least 20 full years of age
- Able to read and write Thai
- Never sentenced to imprisonment for offenses relating to currency, seals, stamps and tickets, documents or trade, or for offenses against property, such as theft, snatching, extortion, blackmail, robbery, gang robbery, fraud, embezzlement and receiving stolen property
If applying in the name of a company, use the documents of the authorized director, and a criminal record check result must also be attached at renewal.
Steps to Obtain a Second-hand Goods Dealer License
| Step | Details | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Consultation and choosing the type | Check which type the goods you buy fall into. If there are several types, you pay the fee for only the single highest type. | 1 day |
| 2. Preparing documents and shop photos | The shop must put up its storefront sign before the photos for the application are taken, because the sign must be visible in the photos. | 3–7 days |
| 3. Submitting the application | Bangkok: Public Service Center, Bureau of Investigation and Legal Affairs, Department of Provincial Administration (Wang Chaiya) · Other provinces: the district administration office where the shop is located | 1 day |
| 4. Review by officials | The Department of Provincial Administration manual sets 13 business days from the date the documents are complete | 13 business days |
| 5. Paying the fee and receiving the license | The team summarizes your duties after you receive the license, such as the shop sign and the second-hand goods account book | About 1–2 months in total |
Required Documents
| Individual | Juristic person (company / partnership) |
|---|---|
| National ID card | National ID card of the authorized director (foreign directors use a passport and work permit) |
| 1 front-facing photo, 2-inch size, in neat attire | 1 front-facing photo, 2-inch size, in neat attire |
| Copy of the commercial registration certificate | Company affidavit (company certificate) issued not more than 6 months earlier (bring the company seal, if any) |
| Lease agreement or letter of consent to use the premises, together with a copy of the house registration of the premises, the ID card and house registration of the lessor, and the title documents | Lease agreement or letter of consent to use the premises, together with the same documents of the lessor |
| Photos of the shop showing the storefront sign | Photos of the business premises |
| Map and layout plan of the shop (if renting space) | Location map of the business premises |
| Dealing in antiques or objects of art: copy of the license from the Fine Arts Department | Dealing in antiques or objects of art: copy of the license from the Fine Arts Department |
No commercial registration yet? Our team can register it for you first: see Commercial Registration
Renewing the Second-hand Goods Dealer License Every Year
- The license is valid until December 31 of the year of issue, regardless of the month in which it was received.
- Renewal can be filed in advance within 90 days before expiry, or from October 1, at the same office that issued the license.
- Renewal documents: national ID card (juristic persons use the authorized director’s ID card and a company affidavit issued not more than 6 months earlier), copy of the commercial registration (individuals), photos of the premises, and a criminal record check result (juristic persons)
- The renewal fee is the same as the annual fee for that type.
- Continuing to operate the shop after the license has expired is subject to a fine of not more than 2,000 baht.
- If you obtain a new license late in the year, prepare to renew it for the following year right away, because the license always expires on December 31.
Duties After Obtaining the License, and the Second-hand Goods Account Book
- Display the licensee’s name and the words “Second-hand Goods Dealer” at the shop, and display the license in a clearly visible place.
- Record items bought in and sold out in the second-hand goods account book in the prescribed form. The book must be signed and stamped by the licensing officer before use.
- Attach a sequence number to each item that matches the number in the account book, so officials can trace items back.
- Notify the police or the inspector immediately if you suspect that goods someone brings in to sell were obtained dishonestly.
- Inspectors have the authority to enter and inspect the license and the shop between sunrise and sunset.
- The license is personal to the licensee and cannot be transferred to others. If you move the shop, change the shop name or lose the license, there are separate applications to file with the Department of Provincial Administration (for a lost license, you must apply for a replacement within 7 days from the date of loss, under Section 6 bis).
Second-hand goods shops that store or sort scrap materials may also need a license for a business hazardous to health from the local authority. See details at “What is a license for a business hazardous to health, and who needs one?”
Service Fees and Government Fees for the Second-hand Goods Dealer License
The service fee for a second-hand goods dealer license starts at 6,000 baht, for both new applications and renewals, excluding government fees, which are paid according to the license type as follows:
| License type | Annual government fee |
|---|---|
| Auction sales | 7,500 baht |
| Second-hand goods dealing: antiques or objects of art | 6,250 baht |
| Second-hand goods dealing: diamonds, precious stones, gold, nak, silver or gems | 5,000 baht |
| Second-hand goods dealing: cars | 3,750 baht |
| Second-hand goods dealing: other types | 2,500 baht |
These rates were reduced by half from the previous rates as of July 20, 2022 under Ministerial Regulation No. 11, B.E. 2565 (2022). If you deal in several types of second-hand goods under one license, you pay the fee for only the single highest type.
Examples of Our Work
A second-hand clothing shop that was about to open entrusted our team with the entire second-hand goods dealer license application. The team first checked the type (second-hand goods dealing: other types, with a fee of 2,500 baht per year), prepared the documents and shop photos, and then coordinated with officials until the shop received its second-hand goods dealer license.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Second-hand Goods Dealer License
Where do I apply for a second-hand goods dealer license?
Shops in Bangkok file at the Public Service Center, Bureau of Investigation and Legal Affairs, Department of Provincial Administration (Wang Chaiya). Shops in other provinces file at the district administration office where the shop is located. If you deal in antiques or objects of art, a license from the Fine Arts Department is also required.
How much is the second-hand goods dealer license fee?
2,500 to 7,500 baht per year depending on the type: other types 2,500 baht, cars 3,750 baht, diamonds, precious stones, gold, nak and silver 5,000 baht, antiques or objects of art 6,250 baht, and auction sales 7,500 baht. These rates have applied since July 20, 2022. If you have several types, you pay only for the highest type.
How long is a second-hand goods dealer license valid, and when must it be renewed?
The license is valid until December 31 of the year of issue, so it must be renewed every year. Renewal can be filed from October 1 or within 90 days before expiry. If you continue operating the shop after the license has expired, the penalty is a fine of not more than 2,000 baht.
Can I renew a second-hand goods dealer license online?
According to the Department of Provincial Administration manual currently published, renewals are still filed at Wang Chaiya for Bangkok or at the district administration office for other provinces. If you use our service, our team can prepare the documents and file the renewal on your behalf with a power of attorney.
What is the penalty for not having a second-hand goods dealer license?
Anyone who trades in second-hand goods or conducts auction sales without a license faces imprisonment of not more than 6 months, or a fine of not more than 5,000 baht, or both. For trading in antiques or objects of art, the penalty increases to imprisonment of not more than 1 year, or a fine of not more than 10,000 baht, or both (Section 12).
What is a second-hand goods account book?
It is a book that second-hand goods dealers must use to record items bought in and sold out in the prescribed form. The book must be signed and stamped by the licensing officer before use, and a sequence number matching the number in the book must be attached to each item, so officials can check back.
Do second-hand clothing shops or second-hand mobile phone shops need a license?
Yes, if they buy or bring in used goods to sell as a business. Most fall under second-hand goods dealing: other types, with a fee of 2,500 baht per year.
Are a second-hand buying license and a second-hand goods dealer license the same?
Yes, they are the same. What people commonly call a second-hand buying license is the second-hand goods dealer license under the Act on the Control of Auction Sales and Second-hand Goods Trading, which covers both buying and reselling.
How many days does it take to obtain a second-hand goods dealer license?
The Department of Provincial Administration manual sets a review period of 13 business days from the date the documents are complete. Including the preparation of documents, shop photos and the lease agreement, most of our jobs are completed in about 1 to 2 months.
Related Services
Services You May Need Next
Required before applying for a second-hand goods dealer license
Direct Marketing Registration with the OCPB
If you also sell second-hand goods online
Consult Us About the Second-hand Goods Dealer License
Tell us the types of goods you buy and the shop location, and our team will let you know the license type, the fees and the documents to prepare.
Address: 43 Thai CC Tower, 11th Floor, Room 111, South Sathorn Road, Yannawa, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120
Phone: 094 864 9799
LINE Official Account: @greenproksp
E-mail: surapa@greenproksp.com