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Fort Smith, AR Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

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

Key Facts

License required
yes, occupation license
Felons barred
convicted felons ineligible
Electronic reporting
within 2 business days
Recordkeeping
bound register open to police

Summary

Fort Smith bars convicted felons from pawnbroker licenses and requires everyone else to hold a city occupation license before loaning money against pledged property.

No person shall engage in the business of a pawnbroker without first obtaining an occupation license required by the provisions of this chapter. No convicted felon may be granted an occupation license to engage in the business of being a pawnbroker.

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 4).

Full Breakdown

City Code § 13-181 makes it unlawful to engage in the pawnbroker business without first obtaining the occupation license required elsewhere in the chapter, and it flatly bars any convicted felon from being granted that license. Applicants must file a notarized statement under § 13-182 swearing that neither they nor any employee acting as a pawnbroker is a convicted felon. Separately, § 13-172 requires every pawnshop to keep a bound record book of pawn tickets open to police inspection and to run an electronic inventory system uploading transaction data to the police department within two business days of taking in goods.

Violations & Fines

Operating without the license, a false felon-status statement, or failing to maintain the required records is a misdemeanor punishable under § 1-9; under § 13-172(d), each day of noncompliance with the electronic recordkeeping rule counts as a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a convicted felon get a pawnbroker license in Fort Smith?
No, § 13-181 says no convicted felon may be granted a pawnbroker occupation license.
How fast must a pawnshop report a transaction to police?
Within two business days of receiving the pawned or purchased goods, per § 13-172(c).

Sources & Official References

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All Fort Smith rules

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