Auctioneer (036)

DCA Licensing Center
42 Broadway, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
For more information, call 311.

You must have an Auctioneer license if you sell merchandise by public auction. A Night Auctioneer license is no longer required, as per recent changes in local law. This description is only a general explanation of who needs to have an Auctioneer license.

Note: New York City businesses must comply with all relevant federal, state, and City laws and rules. All laws and rules of the City of New York, including the Consumer Protection Law and Rules, are accessible using the Public Access Portal. For convenience, sections of the New York City Licensing Law (and Rules, if enacted) are available as a downloadable handout. The Law (and Rules) are current as of January 2009.

Please note that businesses are responsible for knowing and complying with the most current laws, including any City Council amendments. The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is not responsible for errors or omissions in the handout. The information is not legal advice. You can only obtain legal advice from a lawyer.

Below are the requirements for obtaining this license. All documents listed below must be submitted when filing your application. Applications must be filed in person at the DCA Licensing Center, 42 Broadway, 5th floor, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and on Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. At the time you file your application at the DCA Licensing Center, you will be photographed at no cost to you.

To speed processing, please submit documents in the order listed below.

Basic Individual License Application (download).

Photo Identification of the person submitting the application. Acceptable identification includes:
- a driver’s license or a non-driver’s ID issued by a State Department of Motor Vehicles
- a passport OR an alien card/green card
- a license or permit issued by a government agency
- if applicant is a city, state or federal employee, an employee identification card

Note: If this application will be filed by someone other than the person to be licensed, an original notarized Affidavit Granting Authority to Act (download) must be submitted together with one of the above acceptable forms of ID. Two color, passport-size photographs of the applicant must be included with the affidavit.

Fingerprints. You must come in person with Photo ID to the DCA Licensing Center at 42 Broadway, 5th floor, to be fingerprinted.  You must pay a processing fee of $75 by Check (corporate or personal) or Postal Money Order, payable to NYC Department of Consumer Affairs. (Cash will not be accepted.) Your fingerprints will be checked for any criminal records that you may have. Note that a conviction will not necessarily prevent you from being granted a license. However, failure to reveal a conviction can constitute grounds for the denial of your application.

Original $2,000 Third Party Bond. This must be properly signed and notarized. The Department of Consumer Affairs must be named as the Certificate Holder. You must also submit a bond receipt showing that the bond has been paid in full and does not expire before the end of the licensing period. For a list of bonding companies in the area, click here.

Notarized Child Support Form (download).

Three Character Affidavits (download ). Affiants must be New York City residents who are unrelated to you and who have known you for at least two years.

License Fee. Must be paid by check or money order payable to NYC Department of Consumer Affairs. The chart below lists the amount due depending upon when your license application is filed. Note: An odd year is any year ending in an odd digit, for example, 2005, 2007, etc. An even year is any year ending in an even digit, for example, 2006, 2008, etc.