San Diego County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Issuing Officer
- San Diego County Sheriff (§ 21.703)
- Fixed place of business
- Required inside the unincorporated area (§ 21.704)
- Holding period
- 7 days before resale, subject to inspection (§ 21.706)
- License term
- 1 year; renew 40-60 days before expiration (§ 21.109)
- Appeal deadline
- 21 days to request a hearing (§ 21.110)
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 6 months jail (§ 11.116)
- Report retention
- Daily acquisition reports kept 3 years (§ 21.705)
Summary
Anyone who conducts business as a pawnbroker or secondhand dealer in unincorporated San Diego County must first obtain a license from the Sheriff, the Issuing Officer under County Code § 21.703. Licensees also need a fixed place of business inside the unincorporated area under § 21.704, and must hold every item acquired for seven days so deputies can inspect it under § 21.706.
SEC. 21.703. LICENSE REQUIRED. No person shall conduct business as a pawnbroker or secondhand dealer in the unincorporated area of the County without obtaining a license from the Issuing Officer. The Sheriff shall be the Issuing Officer for any license required by this chapter. A pawnbroker's license and a secondhand dealer's license are subject to sections 21.101-21.117 of this code and this chapter. SEC. 21.704. FIXED PLACE OF BUSINESS REQUIRED. No person shall be licensed as a pawnbroker or second-hand dealer by the Issuing Officer unless the person has a fixed place of business in the unincorporated area of the County.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-141: Administrative: Current through Ord. No. 11007 (N.S.), effective 7-10-26 | Regulatory: Current through Ord. No. 11008 (N.S.), effective 7-24-26).
Full Breakdown
County Code Chapter 7 (Title 2, Division 1) governs pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers, but only in the unincorporated area; the county's 18 incorporated cities, including the City of San Diego, license these businesses under their own codes. , enacted to curtail trafficking in stolen property. 5. 704). 108). 109). 705). 706).
Violations & Fines
Operating as a pawnbroker or secondhand dealer in unincorporated San Diego County without a Sheriff-issued license violates § 21.703, a misdemeanor under § 11.116 punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both. The Sheriff may also deny, suspend or revoke a license for a disqualifying felony, an illegal act while in business, or refusing a compliance inspection under § 21.117. Licensees get 21 days to request a hearing (§§ 21.110, 21.112) and 15 days to appeal an adverse decision to the Appellate Hearing Board (§ 21.116).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county license to open a pawnshop in unincorporated San Diego County?
How long must a pawnbroker hold items before reselling them?
What happens if the Sheriff denies or revokes my pawnbroker license?
Can inspectors enter my pawnshop without notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Diego County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Diego County to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
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