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Who should register?
Individuals with an equivalent licence or registration in an Australian state or territory that is participating in Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) may be able to practice as a second-hand dealer in Victoria by submitting an AMR notification. Find more information about Automatic mutual recognition.
Second-hand dealer
A second-hand dealer is any person or company who carries on the business of buying, selling, exchanging or otherwise dealing in second-hand goods. This applies regardless of where the goods are bought, or whether they also sell new goods.
Second-hand goods are those that have been worn or otherwise used.
You must be registered to trade as a second-hand dealer in Victoria, but there are some instances when you may be exempt from this requirement, even if you deal in second-hand goods. Find more information about exemptions from registration.
If you are exempt, you do not have to register, but you may still be required to comply with other laws that apply to dealing in second-hand goods.
Scrap metal dealer
A scrap metal dealer is a second-hand dealer who buys, sells or disposes of goods containing metal for the purpose of recycling or reprocessing it.
Scrap metal dealers must be registered to trade as second-hand dealers in Victoria.
Pawnbroker
A pawnbroker is a person or company who carries on the business of advancing money on the security of pledged goods. In other words, they lend money to people who leave something of value with the pawnbroker as collateral.
You can only act as a pawnbroker if the Business Licensing Authority (BLA) has endorsed your second-hand dealer registration, authorising you to carry on business as a pawnbroker.
Before starting your application
Exemptions from registration
You may be exempt from registration as a second-hand dealer.
Eligibility
Individuals
You are automatically ineligible to be registered if you are currently:
- bankrupt or insolvent under administration (including Part IX and Part X arrangements);
- a represented person under the Guardianship and Administration Act 1986 (where a guardian or administrator has been appointed).
If any of the following circumstances apply, you are ineligible to be registered unless you obtain permission from the BLA:
- within the last five years, you or any of your associates, or a company you were director of, have been found guilty of, or convicted of a disqualifying offence involving fraud, dishonesty, drug trafficking or violence punishable by 3 months or more in prison. Find more information about spent convictions.
- you or any of your associates, or a company you were director of, are currently suspended from carrying on any occupation, profession or business in Australia
- within the last five years you or any of your associates, or a company you were director of, have had a licence, registration or permission to carry on any occupation, profession or business in Australia cancelled or been disqualified from carrying on any occupation, profession or business
- any of your associates are currently bankrupt or insolvent under administration (including Part IX and Part X arrangements) or under external administration.
If you are currently registered in another state or territory of Australia, you may be eligible to work in Victoria under the Automatic Mutual Recognition scheme without having to apply for a new registration. You may be required to notify the BLA.
Companies
A company is automatically ineligible to be registered if
- the company is currently under external administration or
- any of its directors is a represented person under the Guardianship and Administration Act 1986 (where a guardian or administrator has been appointed).
If any of the following circumstances apply, the company is ineligible to be registered unless it obtains permission from the BLA:
- within the last 5 years, the company, any of its director or associates or any director who was, at the relevant time, a director of another company that has been found guilty of, or convicted of a disqualifying offence involving fraud, dishonesty, drug trafficking or violence punishable by 3 months or more in prison. It must not be a spent conviction within the meaning of the Spent Convictions Act 2021 (Vic) or any equivalent law of a state or territory of Australia or of the Commonwealth. For more information, go to Spent convictions.
- the company, any of its directors or associates or any director who was, at the relevant time, a director of another company that:
- is currently suspended from carrying on any occupation, profession or business in Australia, or
- within the last five years has had a licence, registration or permission to carry on any occupation, profession or business in Australia cancelled or been disqualified from carrying on any occupation, profession or business, or
- any company director or an associate of a company director is currently bankrupt or insolvent under administration (including Part IX and Part X arrangements), or under external administration.
Incorporation Associations and Co-Operatives
Incorporated Associations and Co-operatives registered in Victoria are also eligible to apply for a registration as a second-hand dealer.
For more information on the eligibility requirements and documents that are required for your organisation, contact the BLA via the BLA enquiry form.
Permission
For disqualifying criminal offences, you can still apply for, and may be granted, a registration if you apply for permission. However, you are not required to make a permission application in respect of a spent conviction within the meaning of the Spent Convictions Act 2021 (Vic) or any equivalent law of an Australian state or territory or of the Commonwealth.
For more information, go to:
Associates
The BLA considers your associates when assessing your eligibility to be registered as a second-hand dealer or pawnbroker. Find more information about associates.
Partnerships
If you intend to work in partnership with other individuals or companies, each partner must also be registered and/or endorsed in their own right as a pawnbroker under the Second-Hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 1989.
Endorsement as a pawnbroker
Any person who wishes to trade as a pawnbroker must first obtain a pawnbrokers endorsement. You can apply for this when lodging your application, or at a later date if you are successfully registered as a second-hand dealer.
Fees
The application fee for 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 is $351.10.
The application fee must be paid at the time of application and is non-refundable.
Records checks
You must provide proof of your identity as part of your application.
You may be able to do this by verifying your identity online. Find more information about identity verification.
If you can’t complete online identity verification, you must submit certified copies of four identity documents and a signed consent form with your myCAV application. The correct documents, properly certified, will help your application avoid delays. Find more information about records checks.
The Business Licensing Authority (BLA) will conduct checks with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), and other agencies to verify the information provided in the application. Any disputes about the accuracy of the results of the checks will be referred to ACIC.
Providing incorrect information
It is a serious offence for a person to knowingly make a false or misleading statement in relation to a registration application. Significant fines apply.
How to apply
You must use myCAV to apply for a second-hand dealers registration.
To start, create your own myCAV account using a personal email address to verify your identity. If you have an existing account, log in.
Complete and lodge your application in myCAV:
Start application
Find more information about myCAV.
Additional documents required with the application
Individuals who are a director, secretary or partner, will be required to submit their own personal information and supporting documentation directly to the BLA.
You will also have the option to send a request to any other individual associates inviting them to provide their own information directly to the BLA.
You will need to specify the name and unique email address of the person in the myCAV application form, and an email will be sent to the person with instructions on how to complete. This must be completed within 14 days of the email being sent.
You will not be able to pay and submit the application for processing until all required information and documentation has been provided by all individuals associated with the application
Individual applicants
For yourself and all individual persons named as associates in the application form, you must attach the following documents:
- If you cannot complete online identity verification:
You may also be required to attach the following documents:
- a copy of the Deed of Trust if you are trading on behalf of a trust. This must be the full trust deed not just schedule pages.
- if you are applying for endorsement of the registration to carry on business as a pawnbroker, you will need to provide evidence that the pawnbroking premises is a retail or commercial location, such as photos of the premises.
Company applicants
For each director and all individual persons named as associates in the application form, you must attach the following documents:
- If you cannot complete online identity verification:
For the company, you may also be required to attach the following documents:
- a copy of the Deed of Trust if the company is trading on behalf of a trust. This must be the full trust deed not just schedule pages.
- if you are applying for endorsement of the registration to carry on business as a pawnbroker, you will need to provide evidence that the pawnbroking premises is a retail or commercial location, such as photos of the premises.
After you lodge your application
Processing time
To avoid delays, please complete the form correctly and attach all necessary documents. The average processing time last quarter was 25 days. You must not conduct business as a second-hand dealer or pawnbroker unless the BLA grants you a registration.
Additional information
When considering your application, the BLA may require you to provide further information. Communications such as requests for further information will be sent to you in myCAV. Please check the 'Notifications' in your myCAV account.
The BLA may refuse your application if you do not provide this within a reasonable timeframe.
Change of information
If there are any changes to the information you provide in your application after you lodge it, you must notify the BLA in writing using the BLA enquiry form within 7 days of becoming aware of the change.
Sharing your information
The BLA may need to give your information to:
- Victoria Police
- Consumer Affairs Victoria
- other law enforcement and regulatory bodies.
These organisations will make any enquiries about your application they consider appropriate, and report the results.
Find BLA privacy information.
Withdrawing your application
You can withdraw your application in myCAV at any time before it has been determined by the BLA. The application fee is non-refundable.
Refusal of application
If your application is not successful, you will receive written notification in myCAV. You can appeal by applying to VCAT within 28 days of the decision.
If the BLA refuses your application, you cannot trade as a second-hand dealer or pawnbroker. If you have been refused previously but want to reapply, contact us.
Successful application
If your application is successful, you will receive a registration certificate. You can view and print a copy of your registration certificate in your myCAV account.
Your registration is not transferrable, and is ongoing unless surrendered, suspended or cancelled. Once you are registered, you should familiarise yourself with your ongoing obligations and registration requirements.
Your details will also appear on the Public register of second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers.