Clifton, NJ Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Chapter 429 defines PAWNBROKER as any person, partnership, association or corporation lending money on deposit or pledge of personal property, purchasing property on condition of selling it back at a stipulated price, or lending money on goods pledged as collateral as a furniture storage warehouseman (§ 429-2). Section 429-3A makes it unlawful to engage in pawning, whether from a permanent or temporary location, without first obtaining a numbered license from the Municipal Clerk, and the application must disclose the applicant's identity, ownership structure, criminal history, the kind and value of goods to be handled, suppliers, three passport-style photographs, and the specific licensed location (§ 429-3B).

The Chief of Police investigates every applicant, including a fingerprint-based FBI background check, and must complete that review within 30 days, after which the Municipal Council decides whether to grant or deny the license (§ 429-4A, B, C). Denial grounds include a history of fraudulent dealing or a prior conviction involving deceit, theft, or receiving stolen goods (§ 429-4D). Before a license issues, § 429-9 requires a $10,000 surety bond running to the benefit of anyone who obtains a judgment against the pawnbroker for damages from the licensed operation.

Section 429-10A sets a nonrefundable $1,000 fee for the initial application and license, and a $1,000 annual renewal fee, separate from any electronic-database costs; licenses run January 1 to December 31 with renewal applications due by October 1 (§ 429-10B). Pawnbrokers must also comply with the chapter's identification, photographing and electronic-reporting rules for every reportable transaction under § 429-5, and keep paper records for at least five years under § 429-6B.