Loudoun County, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Countywide cap
- 8 pawnshops maximum, towns included
- Surety bond required
- $50,000 minimum
- License issued by
- Loudoun County Sheriff
- Record retention
- 24 months per transaction
- Reporting deadline
- within 24 hours of each transaction
- Penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor, separate offense per day
Summary
Loudoun County caps pawnshops at eight countywide, including any inside Leesburg or the other incorporated towns, and requires every pawnbroker to hold a Sheriff-issued license backed by a $50,000 surety bond before lending a dollar against pledged property. Violating the licensing chapter is a Class 1 misdemeanor, with each day of unlicensed operation a separate offense.
It shall be a violation of this ordinance for any pawnbroker to engage in any activity subject to regulation under this article without first obtaining a license from the Sheriff, as authorized by the Board of Supervisors... No person shall be licensed as a pawnbroker or engage in the business of a pawnbroker without having in existence a bond with surety in the minimum amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)... No more than eight (8) pawnshops shall be permitted to operate within Loudoun County at one time. Licenses shall not be transferable to other persons. For the purpose of this article, pawnshops located within any incorporated town of the County of Loudoun shall be considered included in the total of the eight (8) permitted to operate within the County.
Full Breakdown
03 before engaging in the business at all; operating without one is itself a violation. 05(b) conditions licensure on maintaining a surety bond of at least $50,000 to secure any judgment a customer later wins for the pawnbroker's misconduct. 06, and cannot be transferred. 13 hard-caps the county at no more than eight operating pawnshops at any one time, and pawnshops located inside Leesburg, Purcellville, or any other incorporated Loudoun town count toward that same eight-shop ceiling, so the towns don't get separate allotments. 10. 12.
Violations & Fines
Section 830.14 makes any violation of the pawnbroker licensing article a Class 1 misdemeanor, and operating a pawnshop in violation of the chapter is a separate offense for every day the business runs unlicensed or noncompliant. The Sheriff's Office can additionally revoke the license outright under Section 830.12 once a violation is found, cutting off the business rather than just fining it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pawnshops can operate in Loudoun County at once?
What bond does a Loudoun County pawnbroker have to carry?
How long must a Loudoun County pawnbroker keep transaction records?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Loudoun County
Compare Loudoun County to another location·View the Virginia business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.