Franklin County, KY Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Chapter 114 (Ord. passed 3-5-1981) defines a pawnbroker broadly. Section 114.01 reaches any person, firm or corporation whose occupation includes taking goods, wares or merchandise by pledge, pawn or exchange as security for money, and it also reaches anyone engaged in buying gold, silver or other precious metals or jewelry. A jewelry or gold buyer therefore falls under the same chapter as a traditional pawn shop. The chapter sets no license fee or application procedure of its own; its operative duties are in § 114.02, titled Record of Purchases.

Under § 114.02(A), every pawnbroker operating in the county keeps a record of all purchases. For each item, the record states the seller's name and address and a physical description of the seller including height, weight, and color of hair and eyes. Section 114.02(B) requires the purchaser to demand positive identification through documents supplied by the seller. The type of identification must be described in the record along with the identification number and/or two major credit card numbers, and Social Security cards are not accepted as identification.

Section 114.02(C) adds that the record contains a description of the item, the price paid, and the signature of the county's Police Department. The record is filed with the Police Department not later than five days following the fifteenth and the last day of each calendar month, which means two filings every month. This chapter applies only outside Frankfort, which has a separate code of its own.