(A) No dealer as defined herein shall operate in the State of South Carolina unless he first obtains a permit to engage in the business of purchasing precious metals from the local law enforcement agency and operates only from a permanent place of business. No dealer shall operate upon public property nor from a vehicle, flea market, hotel room, residential dwelling, similar temporary location, or subleased space with a lease term of less than one year.

(B) The form of the permit to engage in the business of purchasing precious metals shall be prescribed by the State Law Enforcement Division and all applicants for a permit under this chapter, whether a person, firm or corporation, shall file a written sworn application signed by the applicant if an individual, by all the partners if a partnership, and by the president if a corporation, with the local law enforcement agency showing:

(1) The names of the persons managing, supervising or conducting the applicant's business in any places proposed to carry on business; the addresses of such persons; the driver's license number of such persons; the capacity in which such persons will act, that is, whether as proprietor, agent or otherwise; the name and address of the person, firm or corporation for whose account the business will be carried on, if any; and if a corporation, the state of incorporation.

(2) The permanent places of business and other places in the State of South Carolina where it is proposed to carry on the applicant's business and the places where the applicant has carried on the business of purchasing precious metals within one year preceding the date of such application.

(3) Such other reasonable information as to the identity of the persons managing, supervising or conducting the applicant's business as the local law enforcement agency may deem proper to fulfill the purposes of this chapter.

(4) A statement of the nature, character and quality of the precious metals to be purchased in the business.

(C) Upon receipt of such application for a permit, the local law enforcement agency shall cause an investigation of such person's business and personal background to be made. Such investigation shall be limited to information pertinent to the purpose of this chapter. If, as a result of the investigation, the background is found to be unsatisfactory, the permit shall be denied. The permit shall be denied or issued within thirty days from the date of application. Upon the issuance of the permit, the local law enforcement agency shall notify the State Law Enforcement Division of the locations where the permit holder proposes to carry on his business. The permit issued under this chapter shall be valid for a period of one year from the date issued and the annual fee shall be fifty dollars to provide for the administrative costs. If the dealer intends to operate from more than one location within the State, then separate permits shall be issued for each place of business; provided, however, only one annual fee shall be collected.

(D) The permits under this chapter shall be in addition to and not in lieu of other business licenses.

(E) A permit may be denied, suspended or revoked at any time if the local law enforcement agency discovers that the information on the application is inaccurate or the dealer or applicant does not comply with the requirements of this act. The permit holder shall notify, within ten days, the local law enforcement agency if any substantive changes occur in the permanent place of business in the persons managing, supervising or conducting the applicant's business, or in the places the permit holder intends to do business.

HISTORY: 1981 Act No. 147 Section 1; 2014 Act No. 292 (H.3149), Section 2, eff June 23, 2014.

Effect of Amendment

2014 Act No. 292, Section 2, added subsection designators (A), (B), (C), (D), and (E); redesignated former paragraphs (a) through (d) as subsections (B)(1) through (B)(4); and in subsection (A), substituted "residential dwelling, similar temporary location, or subleased space with a lease term of less than one year" for "or similar temporary location".