Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 2004

Introduction

You could also call this:

"Stopping Criminals from Selling Stolen Goods"

Illustration for Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 2004

This Act has a purpose. You will see what it is. The purpose is to stop criminals from selling stolen goods to secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers. The Act also aims to help the Police find stolen goods and solve property crimes. It will replace two old laws: the Secondhand Dealers Act 1963 and the Pawnbrokers Act 1908. You can think of it like a plan to make things safer. The Act wants to make it hard for bad people to get rid of stolen things. It wants to help the Police do their job better. The old laws are being replaced. This means the Act will be the new rule. It will help keep you and your community safe from crime.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM305111.

This page was last updated on 24 December 2025 — View changes

Highlights from this law

6: Secondhand dealers engaged in business to be licensed

Secondhand dealers must have a licence to buy and sell used goods in New Zealand.

39: Obligation to report and hold stolen goods

What to do if you think something is stolen: report and hold it

42: Dealers record

Keeping a Record of Bought and Sold Items

43: Verifying identity

Checking who someone is when you buy from them

51: Pawnbrokers record

Pawnbrokers must keep a record of goods they lend money on.

52: Verifying identity of pledgers

Pawnbrokers must check who you are when you give them something

78: Public registers of licence holders and certificate holders

Public Registers: Information About Licence and Certificate Holders

Topics:

Crime and justice > Police and safetyCrime and justice > Criminal lawMoney and consumer rights > Consumer protectionBusiness > Industry rules

1: Title, or

"The name of this law is the Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 2004"

Secondhand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act 2004

Reprint as at:: 2025-11-27
Assent:: 2004-07-06
Commencement:: see section 2

The Parliamentary Counsel Office has made editorial and format changes to this version using the powers under subpart 2 of Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

Note 4 at the end of this version provides a list of the amendments included in it.

This Act is administered by the Ministry of Justice.