Registration as a second-hand dealer and endorsement as a pawnbroker continues until you surrender it, or it is cancelled.
Surrendering your registration or endorsement
You may, at any time, voluntarily surrender your registration and/or pawnbroker endorsement. Once surrendered, the registration and endorsement cannot be re-instated.
To surrender your registration and/or pawnbroker endorsement, you must submit your request in writing by lodging a change of details form. Refer to Fees and forms – second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers.
If you wish to conduct business as second-hand dealer and/or pawnbroker in the future, you must re-apply for a new registration. You will need to submit a new registration application form, pay the applicable application fees and meet all registration eligibility requirements at that time.
Cancellation of your registration or endorsement
An individual registration is automatically cancelled if that person:
- becomes a represented person under the Guardianship and Administration Act 1986
- becomes insolvent under administration, or
- fails to comply with a notice from the BLA requiring the person to lodge an overdue annual statement and pay the annual fee (plus any late fee) by the required date.
Unless you get the BLA's permission to continue to operate as a second-hand dealer or pawnbroker, individual registration or endorsement is automatically cancelled 30 days after:
- you or your associate is convicted or found guilty of a disqualifying offence involving fraud, dishonesty, drug trafficking or violence punishable by 3 months or more in prison. (For information about spent convictions, view the Spent convictions page)
- you or your associate has any licence, registration or permission to carry on a regulated occupation or business (in Australia) suspended or cancelled, or is otherwise disqualified from carrying on the occupation or business
- you have an associate who becomes insolvent under administration or externally administered, or
- you receive written notice from the BLA that your associate is ineligible for registration under the Second-Hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 1989.
For more information about who is an associate, view Associates.
A company registration is automatically cancelled if:
- a director becomes a represented person under the Guardianship and Administration Act 1986
- the company becomes externally administered, or
- it fails to comply with a notice from the BLA requiring the company to lodge an overdue annual statement and pay the annual fee (plus any late fee) by the required date.
Unless the BLA gives permission, a company registration or endorsement is automatically cancelled 30 days after:
- a director or director’s associate is convicted or found guilty 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, view Spent convictions
- a director or director’s associate has any licence, registration or permission to carry on a regulated occupation or business (in Australia) suspended or cancelled, or is otherwise disqualified from carrying on the occupation or business
- a director becomes insolvent under administration
- a director’s associate becomes insolvent under administration or externally administered, or
- the BLA sends written notice that a company director or a director’s associate is ineligible for registration under the Second-Hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 1989.
If you apply for permission within 30 days, registration is not automatically cancelled. It will only be cancelled if your application is withdrawn or refused.
For more information and forms to apply for permission, view Disqualification and permission.