2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26101124D

HOUSE BILL NO. 97

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 2, 2026

A BILL to amend and reenact § 54.1-4108 of the Code of Virginia, relating to professions and occupations; precious metals dealers; permit requirements.

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Patron—Ballard

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Referred to Committee on General Laws

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 54.1-4108 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 54.1-4108. Permit required; method of obtaining permit; no convictions of certain crimes; approval of weighing devices; renewal; permanent location required.

A. 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.

B. To obtain a permit, the dealer shall file with the proper chief law-enforcement officer an application form which with the proper chief law-enforcement officer that includes the dealer's full name, and any aliases, address, age, date of birth, sex, and fingerprints and gender; 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, as confirmed by a fingerprint-based or computerized criminal background check. The No permit shall be denied issued 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. Before a permit may be issued, the dealer must shall 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. This A permit issued pursuant to this section 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 such permit shall be transferable.

E. If With the exception of Saturdays, Sundays, and recognized holidays, 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 permit application for a permit.

F. 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.