The Board of Selectmen may license suitable persons to be dealers in and keepers of shops for the purchase, sale or barter of junk, old metals or secondhand articles, in the Town. The Board of Selectmen may also license suitable persons as junk collectors, to collect, by purchase or otherwise, junk, old metals and secondhand articles from place to place in the Town.
No person shall be a dealer in, or buy, sell or barter, junk, old metals or secondhand articles, in the Town of Northbridge, unless the person so buying, selling or bartering has a license duly issued under this section of the Town bylaws.
[Amended 5-1-2018 ATM, Art. 24]
A. 
The secondhand dealer must require the following identification from any person selling, bartering, consigning or exchanging personal property or articles:
A valid Massachusetts motor vehicle driver's license, Massachusetts liquor identification card, a United States military identification card or a United States passport that includes the date of birth, matching photograph, and physical description of the person offering the identification.
B. 
Every keeper of a shop for the purchase, sale or barter of junk, old metals or secondhand articles, within the limits of the Town of Northbridge, shall keep a book in which shall be written at the time of every such purchase of any such article, a description thereof, the full name, current address, date of birth and identification number from and acceptable form of identification of the person from whom purchased, the day and hour when such purchase was made. Such book shall be open at all times to the inspection of the Board of Selectmen, any person specifically authorized to make such inspections or any police officer.
C. 
Every keeper of such shop shall put in a suitable and conspicuous place in such shop a sign having his name and occupation legibly inscribed thereon in large letters. Such shop and all articles of merchandise therein may at all times be examined by the Selectmen, or any person authorized by them to make such examinations. No keeper of such shop or any dealer in such articles shall directly or indirectly either purchase or receive by way of barter or exchange any of the articles aforesaid of a minor or apprentice, knowing or having reason to believe him to be such.
D. 
Holding period for personal property and articles - articles to remain on the premises of the secondhand dealer: All secondhand personal property or articles shall be maintained on the secondhand business premises for thirty (30) days after the date of purchase, barter, or exchange. No secondhand personal property or articles shall be sold, encumbered by sales contract, transferred, altered in its appearance, or otherwise, or otherwise disposed of, within the said thirty-day period.
E. 
Certified scales: All weighing or measuring devices used by a licensee in the conduct of the licensed business shall be tested and sealed by the Sealer of Weights and Measures for the Town of Northbridge.
Every person licensed under § 7-601 shall post the license in some suitable and conspicuous place upon the licensed premises.
No person keeping a shop for the purchase, sale or barter of junk, old metals or secondhand articles shall purchase or receive, either directly or indirectly, any of the aforesaid articles or have a shop open for the transaction of business except between the hours of 8:00 o'clock in the morning and 8:00 o'clock in the evening. No such licensee shall directly or indirectly purchase or receive any such articles at any place other than the address displayed on the license unless specifically invited into the residence of a potential customer or at a bona fide trade show.
No person offering any article for sale shall give a wrong or false name or address or fictitious information pertaining to his/her identity. No person holding a license under § 7-601 shall knowingly write a wrong or false name or address of a person thus offering an article for sale, or knowingly permit the entry of such wrong or false name or address in the bound book as defined in § 7-603. Any police officer taking cognizance of any such violation may request the offender to state his/her true name and address.
The provisions of this bylaw are severable, and, if any of its provisions shall be held invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction the decision of said court shall not affect or impair any of the remaining sections.
Any violation of any provision of this bylaw may be punished pursuant to the provisions of § 1-109A or B if the noncriminal method of citation provided in MGL c. 40, § 21D, and § 1-109A of this Code of Bylaws is used the offense shall be punished by a fine of $50 for a first offense and $100 for a subsequent offense.