Acworth, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- City occupation tax certificate, § 22-3.4
- Employee permit
- Separate police-issued permit for all staff
- Background check
- Police dept., 20 business days
- Disqualifying record
- Felony or theft/fraud/property crime, 10 yrs
- Renewal window
- June 1-30 annually
- Late renewal
- Fee added after July 31
Summary
Every pawnbroker or pawnshop in Acworth needs a city occupation tax certificate, and every employee needs a separate police-issued permit backed by a criminal background check. Employees convicted of a felony, or of theft, fraud or a property crime, are barred from working on the premises for ten years from the conviction date.
The purpose of this article is to regulate the conduct and activities of pawnshops, as defined herein, in order to reduce and curtail the criminal activities frequently engendered by such businesses ... It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the business of a pawnbroker or pawnshop in the city without complying with the provisions of the laws of the state relative to pawnbrokers. ... (a)All persons employed or working for a pawnbroker or a pawnshop as defined herein shall first file an application with the office of the city clerk for a permit to be employed or work in a pawnbroker or pawnshop business. Such permit shall be obtained from the police department and will be valid until the expiration of the current business license. ... Employees of a pawnbroker or pawnshop, as defined herein, shall not be less than 18 years of age. Every employee must be of good moral character as defined by this article. Any employee who has been convicted of any felony or any crime involving theft, fraud, or against property shall not be permitted to work on the premises of a pawnbroker or pawnshop for a period of ten years from the date of such conviction ... It is unlawful for any person to engage in, conduct or carry on within the City of Acworth any pawnbroker or pawnshop business, as defined herein, without a permit or a currently valid occupation tax certificate to do so.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
4 backs that with a local licensing requirement: operating a pawnshop "without a permit or a currently valid occupation tax certificate" is unlawful. 2 requires every employee, not just the owner, to file a permit application with the city clerk and obtain a police department permit before working, with the fee set on the city's fee schedule; renewal applications run June 1 through June 30 each year, and a late renewal filed after July 31 draws an additional fee. 3 sets the qualification bar: employees must be at least 18, of "good moral character," defined as no felony conviction or conviction for theft, fraud or a crime against property within the past ten years, and must disclose any ownership interest in another pawnshop.
3(b), the police department runs a criminal background check and has 20 business days to approve or deny an application; a denial can be appealed to the chief of police within ten days and, from there, to the city manager. 6 bars transferring, selling or assigning the occupation tax certificate without the city council's prior written consent.
Violations & Fines
Operating a pawnshop, or working in one, without the required occupation tax certificate or employee permit is unlawful under section 22-3.4, and section 22-3.3(c) exposes an employee to suspension or revocation of the permit for a conviction of this article, any other city ordinance, or a felony or crime of theft, drugs, fraud or a crime against property. A revoked or denied applicant cannot reapply, and the city's general penalty in section 1-11 applies where no more specific licensing penalty is stated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every pawnshop employee need their own permit in Acworth?
What disqualifies someone from working at an Acworth pawnshop?
Can a pawnbroker license be sold or transferred?
How often does a pawnshop license renew in Acworth?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Acworth
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