Columbia Records—Required; contents; inspection ordinance (§ 13-118)
Chapter 13: Licenses, Permits and Miscellaneous Business Regulations · Article V. Precious Metals Dealers
In short: Dealers who buy or accept a pledge of precious-metal items over $25 must record the date, item, price, seller's name, address and photo ID number (or a check number or photo), and the receiving employee. Records can't be altered or destroyed until inspected or 18 months pass, whichever comes first; violations are Class A misdemeanors.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
(a) No dealer shall purchase or accept the pledge of any object comprised in whole or in part of precious metal when the total amount of any purchase or pledge transaction exceeds twenty-five dollars ($25.00) without making a record which shall contain:
(1) The time and date of the transaction.
(2) A brief description of the object or objects and the price paid therefor, the object traded for or the amount of the pledge accepted.
(3) The person selling or pledging the object; the address of such person and a record of a form of valid identification containing a photograph of the individual presented by such person at the date of sale or pledge, such record to include the serial or identifying number contained on such identification.
(4) In the event that the seller or pledger fails to provide an identification card containing a photograph, the number of the check used in payment for the object or the pledge therefor or in the alternative, a photograph of the seller or pledger, may be taken.
(5) The name of the dealer when he accepts the object for purchase or pledge, or the employee or agent who accepts the object for purchase or pledge on behalf of the dealer.
(b)
No record made under the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section shall be damaged, altered or destroyed until same shall have been inspected by the chief of police, his designee or the business license administrator, or until eighteen (18) months from the date the record is made, whichever comes first.
(c) Violation of the provisions of this section shall be a Class A misdemeanor and punishable under the penalties as provided in section 16-66 of this Code.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 13-118
Text from Supplement 139 (September 3, 2026).
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.