Boise, ID Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Anyone loaning money against pledged goods, taking a chattel mortgage on personal property, or buying used goods with a repurchase option is operating as a pawnbroker under Boise City Code and must hold a City license. The City Clerk issues the license only after a Police Department investigation confirms the applicant meets the chapter's qualifications and the premises is suitably located, zoning-compliant, and fire-code compliant. First-time applicants (no license in the prior year) must submit fingerprints. Applicants or license holders convicted of a felony or theft-related offense in the prior five years, or denied/revoked/suspended for any business license in the prior five years, do not qualify. Licenses run one year, are nontransferable, and require a nonrefundable annual fee set on the City Clerk's fee schedule.