Beaumont, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Section 5.20.080 lists the pawnbroker with the words permit from the City Council required, followed by a reference to Sections 5.20.010 through 5.20.060. The same schedule carves the pawnbroker out of the ordinary lending entry, which reads Investments and loans (Other than pawnbroker), so a pawnbroker is not licensed as a general lender. Section 17.14.030 defines a pawn shop as a business establishment engaged in the buying or selling of new or secondhand merchandise and offering loans secured by personal property.

The City Council controls issuance. Section 5.12.030 has the City Clerk and/or City Treasurer issue licenses on application and payment, except for businesses where the title says the Council must first direct issuance, and the pawnbroker is one of those. Under Section 5.04.060 the Council can refuse a license to any applicant who in its judgment will run the business in an unlawful manner or in violation of any law or ordinance.

Zoning is a second gate. Table 17.03-3 in Section 17.03.120 gives the Pawnbrokers row as N N N N N N C C N N under the columns RC PF RR RSF RTN RMF CN CC M UV. The legend defines C as Conditionally Permitted and N as Not Permitted, so a pawnbroker is conditional in CN and CC and barred in the residential, public facilities, manufacturing and UV base districts. Section 5.04.100 bars any license where the location is not in the proper zone, and Section 5.12.040 says a license does not authorize a business in any zone contrary to the zoning ordinance.

Ongoing duties follow the general licensing chapter. Each place of business needs its own license (Section 5.04.020), the license cannot be transferred or assigned (Section 5.04.070), and it must be posted in a conspicuous place at the business address (Section 5.04.120). The license year runs July 1 to June 30 under Section 5.20.010, and fees follow the class schedules amended by resolution (Sections 5.20.020 and 5.20.030).