Carlsbad, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual license fee
- $150.00
- Licensing authority
- Chief of Police
- Adopted
- Ordinance 6040, 1967; amended CS-027, 2009
- Governing code
- Carlsbad Municipal Code § 5.08.120
- Chapter
- 5.08 License Taxes, Title 5
Summary
Anyone operating as a pawnbroker in Carlsbad must pay a $150 annual business license fee and obtain a pawnbroker license from the Chief of Police under Municipal Code § 5.08.120. Unlike most Chapter 5.08 license categories, which the Finance Director's license collector administers, pawnbroker licensing runs through the police department, giving the Chief of Police direct oversight of who may operate a pawnshop in the city.
Any person engaging in the business of being a pawnbroker shall pay a business license fee of $150.00 per year and obtain a pawnbroker license from the Chief of Police.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5007221; v20 updated 2026-06-16).
Full Breakdown
08's other categories. The section was adopted by Ordinance 6040 in 1967 and amended by Ordinance CS-027 in 2009 to add the police department's licensing role. Routing pawnbroker licensing through the Chief of Police reflects the state's treatment of pawnbrokers as a regulated, transaction-reporting business, giving the department a chance to vet an applicant before the pawnshop begins operating in the city. 08 businesses; it is not tied to the pawnshop's transaction volume. 120 to refuse a license, subject to appeal, for businesses posing a public-safety concern.
Violations & Fines
Operating a pawnshop in Carlsbad without both the $150.00 annual license fee and the Chief of Police's pawnbroker license is unlawful under § 5.04.030, with each day of unlicensed operation a separate violation. Because the police department administers this license, an unlicensed or non-compliant pawnbroker also faces the general licensing refusal and appeal procedure in § 5.04.120 for businesses the license collector deems a public-safety hazard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues a pawnbroker license in Carlsbad?
How much does a Carlsbad pawnbroker license cost?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carlsbad
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