Chicopee, MA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Section 188-12(A) of the Chicopee Code says no person shall carry on the business of pawnbroker without first obtaining a license. The fee is set by the City Council and is on file with the City Clerk, and the license must be approved by the Chief of Police prior to issuance. Applications are filed with the City Clerk and fees are paid at the time of applying and are not refundable (§ 188-4).

Lending terms are capped in the ordinance. Under § 188-12(B), no pawn broker in the City of Chicopee can charge interest on loaned moneys, as a result of a pawning agreement or otherwise, in excess of 18% per annum. All loan or pawning agreements have to be in writing and clearly state the annual percentage rate.

Shop conduct is regulated in detail. A conspicuous sign shows the keeper's name and occupation in large letters (§ 188-12(C)). No keeper can buy from or take in barter from a minor (D). No article received can be sold until at least 30 days from the date of purchase or from the date the receipt has lapsed (E). No item can be taken in pawn if it appears that a serial number or identifying marks such as engravings or initials were removed (F). Pawnshops close except between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. each weekday (G). The keeper maintains a permanent bound book with the description, the seller's name, age and residence and the day and hour (H), and every licensed dealer records each transaction on an index card supplied by the Police Department, with one article described on each card, picked up daily by a police officer (I).

Section 188-7, amended 6-3-2025 by Ord. No. 25-23, adds modern requirements for pawnshops: an electronic record that includes date of birth and government ID number, photographs of every item pawned kept for a minimum of three years, a photograph of the customer and the customer's ID, and daily transmission of the prior day's transactions to the New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN) within the first hour of every business day. The Chicopee Police Department inspects the records.