Billings, MT Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Reporting deadline
- 5:00 p.m. every Monday
- Holding period
- 10 days before resale
- Register retention
- 2 years minimum
- Late/erroneous report fee
- $0.50 per transaction
- Governing sections
- Secs. 7-502 through 7-507
Summary
Billings pawnbrokers must keep a detailed transaction register, verify seller ID, hold purchased items for ten days, and report every transaction to police weekly under Municipal Code Article 7-500.
every person carrying on the business of pawnbroker in the city except those pawnbrokers exempted by operation of subsection (d) shall, before the hour of 5:00 p.m. every Monday of every week at a time designated for that business by the chief of police, transmit to the chief of police or his designee through a modem or similar electronic device or by delivery of a computer disk, the information section 7-502 requires be recorded concerning all transactions in which the pawnbroker received used goods the preceding week by pawn, trade, purchase, or consignment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Any person carrying on the business of pawnbroker, secondhand dealer, or valuable article dealer in Billings must keep a written register of every loan or purchase, recording the seller's name, address, date of birth, ID number, and a full description of the item (Sec. 7-502). Pawnbrokers must also electronically transmit that register to the police chief by 5:00 p.m. each Monday covering the preceding week's transactions (Sec. 7-503), verify the seller's government-issued photo ID (Sec. 7-504), and hold purchased articles on-site for ten days before resale or alteration (Sec. 7-505). Violating the reporting requirement is a misdemeanor under Sec. 7-503(f).
Violations & Fines
Failing to file the weekly electronic transaction report is a misdemeanor under Sec. 7-503(f), punishable per the general penalty in Sec. 1-110; per-transaction fees also apply for late or erroneous reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Billings require a separate pawnbroker license?
How long must Billings pawnshops hold purchased items?
Sources & Official References
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