Davis, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual license tax
- $600 per year
- Tax structure
- Flat fee, not gross-receipts based
- Governing section
- Davis Municipal Code § 19.04.090(h)
- Enforcing office
- City collector, police assist
- Violation classification
- Infraction under § 19.05.060
Summary
Davis pawnbrokers must hold a city business license and pay a flat $600 annual tax under Municipal Code Section 19.04.090(h), separate from the percentage-of-receipts formula that applies to most other licensed businesses in the city.
Pawnbrokers. Six hundred dollars per year.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4915048; v22 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
04 lists the flat-rate categories that fall outside the city's standard gross-receipts license tax formula, and subsection (h) states simply: pawnbrokers pay six hundred dollars per year. That places pawnbrokers in the same flat-fee tier as junk and secondhand dealers, card rooms, and dance halls rather than under the percentage-based schedule used for most retail and service businesses. 010, which makes it unlawful for any person to transact or carry on any business, trade, calling or occupation in the city without first paying the prescribed business license tax and complying with the article's other requirements, and requires a separate certificate for each distinct type of business conducted at each location. 050. 010, may examine any place of business to confirm compliance, with the police chief assisting when needed. 140.
Violations & Fines
Running a pawnshop in Davis without first paying the $600 annual license tax breaches Section 19.02.010. Section 19.05.060 makes any violation of the business license chapter, or a knowing misrepresentation made to obtain the license, an infraction punishable as prescribed by law. The unpaid tax and any penalty are also collectible as a debt to the city through civil action under Section 19.05.040, and the city's remedies are cumulative under Section 19.05.050, meaning collection and infraction enforcement can proceed together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a pawnbroker license in Davis?
Does a Davis pawnbroker need a business license in addition to this tax?
What happens if a pawnbroker fails to renew the license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis
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