Fla. Stat. § 538.03 — Florida Code / Title XXXIII / Chapter 538 / Part I / Section 538.03
538.03 Definitions; applicability.
Status: in_force

(1) As used in this part, the term: (a) “Acquire” means to obtain by purchase, consignment, or trade. (b) “Appropriate law enforcement official” means the sheriff of the county in which a secondhand dealer is located or, if the secondhand dealer is located within a municipality, both the police chief of the municipality and the sheriff; however, the sheriff or police chief may designate as the appropriate law enforcement official for that county or municipality, as applicable, any law enforcement officer working within that respective county or municipality. This paragraph does not limit the authority or duties of the sheriff. (c) “Automated kiosk” means an interactive device that is permanently installed within a secure retail space and that has the following technological functions: 1. Remotely monitored by a live representative during all business operating hours; 2. Verification of a seller’s identity by government-issued photographic identification card; 3. Automated reading and recording of item serial numbers; 4. Ability to compare item serial numbers against databases of stolen items; 5. Secure storage of goods accepted by the kiosk; and 6. Capture and storage of images during the transaction. (d) “Consignment shop” means a shop engaging in the business of accepting for sale, on consignment, secondhand goods which, having once been used or transferred from the manufacturer to the dealer, are then received into the possession of a third party. (e) “Department” means the Department of Revenue. (f) “Precious metals” means any item containing any gold, silver, or platinum, or any combination thereof, excluding any chemical or any automotive, photographic, electrical, medical, or dental materials or electronic parts. (g) “Precious metals dealer” means a secondhand dealer who normally or regularly engages in the business of buying used precious metals for resale. The term does not include those persons involved in the bulk sale of precious metals from one secondhand or precious metals dealer to another. (h) “Secondhand dealer” means any person, corporation, or other business organization or entity which is not a secondary metals recycler subject to part II and which is engaged in the business of purchasing, consigning, or trading secondhand goods. The term includes any secondhand dealer engaged in the business of purchasing secondhand goods by means of an automated kiosk. (i) “Secondhand goods” means personal property previously owned or used which is not regulated metals property regulated under part II and which is purchased, consigned, or traded as used property. The term includes gift certificates and credit memos as defined in s. 501.95 which are purchased, consigned, or traded by a secondhand dealer. The term does not include office furniture; pianos; books; clothing; organs; coins; motor vehicles; costume jewelry; gold, silver, platinum, palladium, or rhodium bullion that has been assayed and is properly marked as to its weight and fineness; cardio and strength training or conditioning equipment designed primarily for indoor use; and secondhand sports equipment that is not permanently labeled with a serial number. As used in this paragraph, the term “secondhand sports equipment” does not include golf clubs. (j) “Secondhand store” means the place or premises at which a secondhand dealer is registered to conduct business as a secondhand dealer or conducts business. (k) “Transaction” means any purchase, consignment, or trade of secondhand goods by a secondhand dealer.

(2) This chapter does not apply to: (a) Any secondhand goods transaction involving an organization or entity registered with the state as a nonprofit, religious, or charitable organization or any school-sponsored association or organization other than a secondary metals recycler subject to the provisions of part II. (b) A law enforcement officer acting in an official capacity. (c) A trustee in bankruptcy, executor, administrator, or receiver who has presented proof of such status to the secondhand dealer. (d) Any public official acting under judicial process or authority who has presented proof of such status to the secondhand dealer. (e) A sale on the execution, or by virtue of any process issued by a court, if proof thereof has been presented to the secondhand dealer. (f) Any garage sale operator who holds garage sales less than 10 weekends per year. (g) Any person at antique, coin, or collectible shows or sales. (h) Any person who sells household personal property as an agent for the property owner or the property owner’s representative pursuant to a written agreement at that person’s residence. (i) The purchase, consignment, or trade of secondhand goods from one secondhand dealer to another secondhand dealer when the selling secondhand dealer has complied with the requirements of this chapter. (j) Any person accepting a secondhand good as a trade-in for a similar item of greater value. (k) Any auction business as defined in s. 468.382 operating as an auction business in the buying and selling of estates, business inventory, surplus merchandise, or business liquidations. (l) Any business that is registered with the Department of Revenue for sales tax purposes as an antique dealer pursuant to chapter 212 and that purchases secondhand goods from the property owner or her or his representative at the property owner’s residence pursuant to a written agreement that states the name, address, and telephone number of the property owner and the type of property purchased. (m) A business that contracts with other persons or entities to offer its secondhand goods for sale, purchase, consignment, or trade via an Internet website, and that maintains a shop, store, or other business premises for this purpose, if all of the following apply: 1. The secondhand goods must be available on the website for viewing by the public at no charge; 2. The records of the sale, purchase, consignment, or trade must be maintained for at least 2 years; 3. The records of the sale, purchase, consignment, or trade, and the description of the secondhand goods as listed on the website, must contain the serial number of each item, if any; 4. The secondhand goods listed on the website must be searchable based upon the state or zip code; 5. The business must provide the appropriate law enforcement official with the name or names under which it conducts business on the website; 6. The business must allow the appropriate law enforcement official to inspect its business premises at any time during normal business hours; 7. Any payment by the business resulting from such a sale, purchase, consignment, or trade must be made to the person or entity with whom the business contracted to offer the goods and must be made by check or via a money services business licensed under part II of chapter 560; and 8.a. At least 48 hours after the estimated time of contracting to offer the secondhand goods, the business must verify that any item having a serial number is not stolen property by entering the serial number of the item into the Department of Law Enforcement’s stolen article database located at the Florida Crime Information Center’s public access system website. The business shall record the date and time of such verification on the contract covering the goods. If such verification reveals that an item is stolen property, the business shall immediately remove the item from any website on which it is being offered and notify the appropriate law enforcement official; or b. The business must provide the appropriate law enforcement official with an electronic copy of the name, address, phone number, driver license number, and issuing state of the person with whom the business contracted to offer the goods, as well as an accurate description of the goods, including make, model, serial number, and any other unique identifying marks, numbers, names, or letters that may be on an item, in a format agreed upon by the business and the appropriate law enforcement official. This information must be provided to the appropriate law enforcement official within 24 hours after entering into the contract unless other arrangements are made between the business and the law enforcement official. (n) Any person offering his or her own personal property for sale, purchase, consignment, or trade via an Internet website, or a person or entity offering the personal property of others for sale, purchase, consignment, or trade via an Internet website, when that person or entity does not have, and is not required to have, a local occupational or business license for this purpose. (o) A business whose primary business is the sale, rental, or trade of motion picture videos or video games, if the business: 1. Requires the sellers of secondhand goods to have a current account with the business; 2. Has on file in a readily accessible format the name, current residential address, home and work telephone numbers, government-issued identification number, place of employment, date of birth, gender, and right thumbprint of each seller of secondhand goods; 3. Purchases secondhand goods from the property owner or his or her representative at the place of business pursuant to an agreement in writing and signed by the property owner which describes the property purchased, states the date and time of the purchase, and states that the seller is the lawful owner of the property; 4. Retains such purchase agreements for not less than 1 year; and 5. Pays for the purchased property in the form of a store credit that is issued to the seller and is redeemable solely by the seller or another authorized user of the seller’s account with that business. (p) A motor vehicle dealer as defined in s. 320.27.

(3) This part does not apply to secondary metals recyclers regulated under part II, except for s. 538.11, which applies to both secondhand dealers and secondary metals recyclers.

History: s. 2, ch. 89-533; s. 1, ch. 90-192; s. 1, ch. 90-318; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 202, ch. 92-303; s. 1, ch. 93-97; s. 1, ch. 95-287; s. 745, ch. 97-103; s. 1, ch. 98-30; ss. 17, 21, ch. 2000-138; s. 1, ch. 2006-201; s. 51, ch. 2008-177; s. 1, ch. 2009-158; s. 1, ch. 2009-162; s. 1, ch. 2012-179; s. 68, ch. 2015-2; s. 1, ch. 2016-59; s. 1, ch. 2023-127.