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Des Moines, IA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

License required
Yes, from city clerk
License expires
December 31 every year
Mandatory hold period
15 calendar days before resale
Purchase hours barred
6 p.m.–8 a.m. daily
Revoked license wait
1 year before reapplying

Summary

Des Moines requires anyone operating a pawn business to hold a pawnbroker license from the city clerk, backed by a criminal background check and a zoning department review.

No person shall engage in the pawn business without first obtaining a pawnbroker license. All applicants for such licenses shall apply to the city clerk.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

Des Moines Municipal Code § 30-292 bars anyone from operating a pawn business without a city-issued pawnbroker license, and the city clerk forwards every application to the police chief and zoning enforcement officer for a background and site review under § 30-293. Licenses expire December 31 each year and must be renewed annually: there's no automatic renewal. Pawnbrokers must log every transaction in the police department's automated pawn/secondhand records system within minutes of purchase (§ 30-301) and hold received property for 15 calendar days before reselling, melting, or otherwise disposing of it (§ 30-304(2)). Purchases are barred from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily.

Violations & Fines

Violating the division, falsifying records, or failing a police/zoning review can get a license suspended, revoked, or denied renewal after a hearing before the police chief or community development director; revoked licensees wait one year to reapply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Des Moines require a separate pawnbroker license for each store?
Yes. Sec. 30-296 requires a license for every location a pawnbroker operates, and a violation at one licensed premises counts as a violation at all of that pawnbroker's locations.
How long must a Des Moines pawnbroker hold an item before reselling it?
15 calendar days from the date the transaction is entered into the police department's automated records system, unless the chief of police grants written permission to dispose of it sooner.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Des Moines

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All Des Moines rules

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