California Pawn & SecondhandDealer System (CAPSS)

See Release Notes in the CAPSS Resources section for latest updates and system enhancements.

Update January 2016

As of December 2015 the Department of Justice has mailed out all of the California Pawn & SecondhandDealer System (CAPSS) registration letters to ALL pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers(PB/SHD). Please contact your local law enforcement agency for questions concerning the final date(s) that the paper JUS 123 will no longer be accepted.  The DOJ anticipates additional waves of improvement releases throughout 2016.

Update March 2015

The initial California Pawn & SecondhandDealer System (CAPSS) introducing core functionality, which met the Legislative mandate, was implemented by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in December 2014. Since that time, the DOJ and its contractor have been working diligently on phase-in improvements. The DOJ is happy to announce these improvements are nearing readiness. The exciting iteration will provide pawn and secondhand dealers with vastly improved user capabilities. A few of these capabilities include an auto-registration component, multiple property transaction bulk upload capability, and an advanced licensing application for law enforcement which will streamline the licensing process. The DOJ anticipates several waves of improvement releases, between April and June.

In the next few weeks, the DOJ will be working with various stores and law enforcement agencies to ensure the various data submissions processes are successful, including the ability to batch a file (batch upload or bulk upload) containing multiple property transaction reports.

The following equipment will be required to use CAPSS:

  • Computer with Internet Access
  • Fingerprint Scanner (must also purchase software to capture images) Revised 11/2015 PLEASE SEE CAPSS FAQs
  • Electronic Signature Pad

Browser Requirements:
The California Pawn & SecondhandDealer System should be accessed by web browsers that are under current support from the following software vendors: Microsoft (Edge), Google (Chrome), Mozilla (Firefox), and Apple (Safari).

Below are some basic facts and specifications for data submission:

  • System will allow for a single XML file with one or more property transaction reports (see XML data specifications document).
  • Each property transaction report (PTR) can contain multiple property transaction items.
  • There is no limit to the number of items that can be included as part of a single property transaction report.
  • The Customer signature and thumbprint will be required. The maximum image size allowed is 75KB. The images must be embedded into the XML file (base-64 encoded).

Additional information regarding system readiness will be provided via this website to assist clients/users in their preparedness efforts for system implementation.

New:

There are several XML schema Validator tools available for downloading to help with troubleshooting a file. Vendors and store programmers should be aware of all the terms and conditions regarding data submitted for testing purposes.

To the right of this page is a link to one such tool that may be helpful.

August 2012

Assembly Bill 391, enacted on August 17, 2012, mandates the Department of Justice (DOJ) develop and implement a single, statewide, uniform electronic reporting system. The system that is known as the California Pawn & SecondHand Dealer System (CAPSS) will be used by licensed secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers to report tangible personal property transactions as required by current law and it will serve as the single, statewide repository for this information. The CAPSS is funded entirely by secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers license fees and will be made available free of charge to authorized law enforcement agencies.

The CAPSS will replace the existing manual paper processes and is anticipated to create efficiencies as well as eventually reduce costs associated with postage and storage of thousands of paper copies.

Secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers will be required to enter information that is currently captured on the DOJ’s JUS 123 form into the CAPSS through a web interface.

Law enforcement personnel will be able to access information using the same system and will no longer have to rely on retrieving JUS-123 data from hard-copy forms. Additionally, a technical interface will be developed with the existing DOJ Automated Property System and specific features will be created in CAPSS to assist law enforcement agencies in their investigatory efforts related to the identification and location of stolen property.

Current law requires secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers to begin using the new system on and after the date the DOJ implements the new system. In addition, for the first-thirty (30) days after implementation, secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers must also continue to report transactions via the current paper method utilizing the JUS 123 form in addition to using the new system. The CAPSS is currently targeted for implementation in early 2014. As such, additional information regarding system readiness will be provided via this website to assist users in their preparedness efforts ahead of system implementation.

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