Arlington Heights, IL Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Village plus State of Illinois, Sec. 12-802
- Annual fee
- $215.00, Sec. 12-804
- Interest cap
- 3 percent per month, Sec. 12-809
- Minimum age
- 21 to hold license or transact, Sec. 12-807
- Weapons
- Firearms barred from pledge, Sec. 12-806
- Records
- Open to police inspection, Sec. 12-805
Summary
Running a pawnshop in Arlington Heights requires both a Village pawnbroker license and a valid Illinois state pawnbroker license under Municipal Code Section 12-802. The license costs $215.00 a year, interest is capped at 3 percent per month, and pawnbrokers may not take firearms in pledge or deal with anyone under 21.
No person shall engage in the business of pawnbroker within the Village without first having obtained a license therefor. No person shall conduct or operate a pawnbroker business without first having obtained a license from the State of Illinois, pursuant to the provisions of the applicable laws.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 3 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 12-801 defines a pawnbroker as anyone in the business of receiving property in pledge or as security for money advanced. Section 12-802 requires a Village license before operating, on top of the state license required by Illinois law, and Section 12-803 requires the application to include a copy of that valid State of Illinois pawnbroker's license. 00 under Section 12-804. Section 12-805 obligates every pawnbroker to keep a dated record of each pledge, purchase, sale or exchange, including the pledger's name, address and an item description, open to police inspection at all reasonable times, and Section 12-808 requires reporting any article the pawnbroker believes was stolen or lost.
Section 12-806 bans pawnbrokers from receiving as a pledge or purchasing, or displaying for sale, any revolver, pistol, blackjack or sawed-off shotgun. Section 12-807 bars anyone under 21 from holding a pawnbroker license or being employed by one, prohibits transactions with minors absent a parent or guardian's written consent, and bars dealing with anyone who appears intoxicated or is a known thief; stolen property traced to a pawnshop must be returned to its owner without any repayment of the amount the pawnbroker advanced. Section 12-809 caps interest at three percent per month and requires that rate to be posted, framed and plainly legible and visible in the shop.
Section 12-810 keeps the license lanes separate: a pawnbroker who also wants to run a secondhand-dealer business must get that license too, and may never operate as a junk dealer at all.
Violations & Fines
Taking a firearm in pledge, exceeding the 3 percent monthly interest cap, or dealing with an intoxicated or underage customer breaches Article VIII and can trigger license suspension or revocation under Chapter 9's general licensing provisions, on top of any criminal penalty for handling stolen property under state law.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much interest can a pawnbroker charge in Arlington Heights?
Can I pawn a gun in Arlington Heights?
What's the annual license fee for a pawnshop here?
Can a pawnbroker also run a secondhand store in the Village?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington Heights
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