Eagan, MN Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Section 6.45 of the Eagan City Code puts the pawnbroking trade under a full licensing scheme run through the city clerk's office. An applicant, whether a natural person, partnership, or corporation, must disclose five years of addresses, employers, and any felony or misdemeanor convictions, and the Eagan Police Department runs a personal background and criminal record check before the city council votes on the application. A $5,000 surety bond, approved by the city attorney, must be on file before a license issues, and it stands behind the pawnbroker's duty to account for and return pledged property to whoever is legally entitled to it.

Licensees must log every transaction, description of the item, loan amount, and the pledgor's photo ID number, and deliver a same-day report to the chief of police before noon, or transmit it electronically once the department connects the shop to the multi-jurisdiction Automated Pawn System. Records stay open to police inspection and must be kept at least four years. No licensee may buy from or pledge with anyone under 18, and the shop can only be open between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Pledged goods cannot be redeemed for the first 72 hours, cannot be sold within 60 days of the transaction, and the pledgor keeps a minimum of 120 days to redeem an item before it becomes forfeitable; the chief of police can also freeze specific items from sale or redemption for up to six months.

Payment for anything purchased, pledged, or pawned must be by check or another instrument drawn on a financial institution, never cash. A license is void on any real estate taxes owed to the city or state, and the council can suspend or revoke a license after a hearing for a chapter violation or a theft-related conviction.