Dallas County, TX Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- State licensing
- TX Finance Code Ch. 371
- State agency
- Texas OCCC
- Pledge hold
- Minimum 30 days
- County license
- None
- Reporting
- Leads Online or RAPID
Summary
Pawnbrokers in Dallas County are licensed under Texas Finance Code Chapter 371 by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC). The county adds no parallel license, but the Dallas County Sheriff and city police rely on pawnshop reporting to recover stolen property and investigate theft.
Sec. 371.051. PAWNSHOP LICENSE REQUIRED. A person may not engage in business as a pawnbroker unless the person holds a pawnshop license. Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1008, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Sec. 371.052. ELIGIBILITY.(a) To be eligible for a pawnshop license, an applicant must:(1) meet the net assets requirement of Section 371.072; and(2) show that:(A) the pawnshop will be operated lawfully and fairly under this chapter; and(B) the applicant or the applicant's owners and managers have the financial responsibility, experience, character, and general fitness to command the confidence of the public in the pawnshop's operations.(b) Repealed by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 767
Full Breakdown
Texas Finance Code Chapter 371 makes the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner the sole licensing authority for pawnbrokers in Dallas County. Each pawnshop location needs an OCCC license, a $25,000 to $250,000 net assets requirement based on store count, and recordkeeping documenting every pledgor's name, photo ID, item description, serial numbers, amount loaned, and finance charges. Texas caps redemption periods (minimum 30 days) and finance charges by loan tier. Pawnshops upload daily transactions to Leads Online or RAPID, which Dallas County Sheriff investigators and Dallas Police Property Crimes Unit query for stolen items. Dallas County does not issue pawnbroker licenses; cities may add zoning rules but cannot impose parallel licensing under Texas preemption.
Violations & Fines
Operating without an OCCC pawnshop license, missing the 30-day pledge hold, charging above statutory finance caps, or skipping daily transaction reporting violates Finance Code 371 and triggers OCCC penalties, license revocation, and DA referral.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dallas County issue pawn licenses?
How do detectives find stolen property at pawnshops?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dallas County
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