Ashwaubenon, WI Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing statute adopted
- Wis. Stat. § 134.71
- Reporting deadline
- Daily, end of business
- Late reporting fee
- $10/day (dealer's fault)
- Photo retention
- Minimum 90 days
- Minimum age
- 18, notarized parental letter
- Reporting exemption
- Under 200 transactions/year
Summary
Ashwaubenon licenses pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers under Chapter 6, Article 10, adopting Wis. Stat. § 134.71 and requiring daily transaction reports to the Department of Public Safety, a posted notice telling customers of that reporting, 90-day photo retention on unmarked items, and a notarized parental letter before buying from anyone under 18.
Failure to comply with any of the provisions of this ordinance shall constitute a violation of this chapter, punishable according to the penalties set forth in Chapter 1, Section 1-13, Village of Ashwaubenon Municipal Code. ... Pawnbrokers and secondhand article and jewelry dealers must submit every reportable transaction to the department of public safety daily in the following manner. ... The pawnbroker or secondhand article and jewelry dealer ... must display a sign of sufficient size in a conspicuous place on the premises, which informs all patrons that all transactions are reported daily to the department of public safety.
Full Breakdown
The Village of Ashwaubenon regulates pawnbrokers, secondhand article dealers and jewelry dealers under Article 10 of Chapter 6 of its Municipal Code, current as of the Village's June 24, 2026 code update. Section 6-10-450 adopts Wis. 71 by reference as the licensing framework and folds any violation of that state law into a local Chapter 6 offense. Every reportable transaction, meaning any pawn, purchase, consignment or trade, must be transmitted daily to the Ashwaubenon Department of Public Safety by modem under Section 6-10-454(A), and the dealer must post a conspicuous sign telling customers that all transactions are reported daily to the police.
A business with fewer than 200 reportable transactions in the prior calendar year may instead file a written transaction form the next business day. If the modem transfer fails and the fault sits with the dealer's own system, Section 6-10-454(C) imposes a $10 daily reporting failure fee until the error is fixed. Section 6-10-452 requires a color digital photograph, at least two inches by two inches, of every pawned or purchased item that lacks a permanent serial number, retained for at least 90 days and cross-referenced to the transaction record.
Section 6-10-453 bars any pawn or purchase from a person under 18 unless the minor presents a notarized letter from a parent or guardian granting permission, and it is no defense that the dealer believed the minor was of age unless the minor showed a state driver's license.
Violations & Fines
Failing to report transactions daily, skipping the required customer sign, or missing the 90-day photo retention period is a violation of Chapter 6, Article 10, punishable under the general forfeiture schedule of Section 1-1-13. A dealer whose own equipment causes a reporting failure owes a $10 daily reporting failure fee under Section 6-10-454(C) until the problem is corrected, on top of any forfeiture. Buying from an unaccompanied minor without a notarized parental letter is a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ashwaubenon require pawnbrokers to report transactions to police every day?
Can an Ashwaubenon pawnbroker buy from a minor?
What happens if a pawnbroker's reporting system fails?
Do Ashwaubenon pawnshops have to photograph items they buy?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ashwaubenon
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