How to get a licence

From 1 April 2005, you must apply to the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Licensing Authority to become a licence holder under the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 2004.

Applying for a Licence

Your application must be on the form approved by the Licensing Authority.

Individual applicants

As an individual applicant (including partners in a partnership), you will have to provide certain details in your application. These will include your:

• full name
• date of birth and
• contact address.

You must complete a statutory declaration as to the truth of the information supplied in the application.

Your application must be submitted to Authority with:

• the prescribed fee; and
• two appropriately authenticated photographs.

Company applicants

In the case of a company applying for a licence, the applicant will need to record details including:

• the name of the company;
• the registered address of the company;
• the street address of the principal place of business (unless the applicant will be undertaking business as an itinerant secondhand dealer) and every other place of business to be used by the applicant; and
• the full name and date of birth of every person involved in the management of the company.

How does the Authority handle the application?

The Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Licensing Authority will make whatever inquiries are necessary to determine whether you are disqualified from holding a licence. Your criminal history will be checked. In the case of a company applicant, the company and everyone involved in the management of the company will have their criminal histories checked.

Police’s power to object

New Zealand Police can object to any application on the basis that the applicant is "not a fit and proper person" to hold a licence.

The grant of a licence

The Authority must issue you a licence unless:

• you are automatically disqualified (and you have not been granted a waiver);
• the Authority upholds a Police objection against you; or
• you failed to comply with one of the requirements for the application, eg you did not pay the prescribed application fee.

In the case of a company, the Authority must issue a licence if:

• the company is not disqualified;
• and every one concerned in the management of the company is eligible to holder a certificate in his or her own right; or
• only one person is concerned with the management of the company and that person holds a certificate; and
• the application is correctly completed and submitted.

Certified copies of licence

When you are issued with a licence, the Licensing Authority will also provide you certified copies of the licence. These certified copies of your licence will allow you to be able to display a certificate copy of the licence at every location at which you conduct business.

Refusal to issue licence

If you or your company's application for a licence is declined, the Licensing Authority will immediately notify you in writing. The Authority will always give reasons for such a refusal.

If you have any queries about applying for a licence you should contact the Ministry of Justice.