Fort Wayne, IN Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum hold period
- 7 business days
- Hold if claim disputed
- 30 days
- Reporting
- Daily to FWPD RMS
- Max fine
- $2,500 per day
Summary
Fort Wayne does not issue its own pawn shop license, but it requires daily transaction reporting to police and a minimum seven-business-day hold on every item taken in pawn.
All personal property received by a pawn shop dealer under this subchapter shall be held intact by the licensee for at least seven business days after the licensee has submitted the required data set forth by the Fort Wayne Police Department using the Records Data Management System... Whenever any licensee receives notice ... that a claim of right to possession of the personal property adverse to the licensee, the licensee shall keep the personal property in his/her possession for 30 days.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-60: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. G-19-26, passed 7-14-26, and Res. 83-19, passed 12-17-19 State legislation current through Legislative Service, 2025 Acts, Pamphlet No. 3).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 115 of the Fort Wayne Code regulates pawn shop dealers directly rather than through a city-issued license. Dealers must submit daily transaction data to the Fort Wayne Police Department's Records Management System, hold every item at least seven business days after that data is submitted, and keep it 30 days if a law enforcement agency or claimant disputes ownership. Items with a manufacturer's serial number must display it. Dealers cannot buy from anyone under 18, anyone who appears intoxicated, or anyone offering property they believe is stolen.
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Chapter 115 is punishable by a fine of up to $2,500 upon conviction, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fort Wayne issue a pawn shop license?
How long must a pawn shop hold an item before reselling it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Wayne
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