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Fullerton, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

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

Key Facts

Permit issuer
Chief of Police
Initial fee
$100
Renewal fee
$25 per year
Location rule
No shared storefront with other business
Prohibited hours
10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Reapplication bar
1 year after denial or revocation
Violation penalty
Misdemeanor

Summary

Fullerton licenses pawnbrokers under the same Chapter 3.52 permit the Chief of Police issues to secondhand and junk dealers, requiring a $100 application fee and $25 annual renewal. Pawnbrokers also face a standalone restriction under § 3.52.230(B): no pawnshop can share an entrance, exit or storefront with any other retail business in the same establishment.

No one doing business as a personal property broker or pawnbroker with or without a license from the State Corporation Commissioner, shall conduct such business, or any part thereof, in the same establishment or place of business used for the transacting of any other business or in any retail wholesale store. No entrance to or exit from a place of business used by any personal property broker or pawnbroker shall open from or into any other place of business, but any such entrance or exit shall open directly onto a public street or public place, except that on any floor above the street floor in an office building an entrance to or exit from such place of business shall open directly onto the public hallway.

Full Breakdown

020 defines the PAWNSHOP as the room or place where that business is carried on. 060, submitting a physical description, business address, any prior permit denials from any state or municipality, criminal history, a recent 2x2 photograph, fingerprints and two character references from county property owners, alongside a $100 initial fee and $25 annual renewal paid to the City Treasurer. 230(B) imposes a rule specific to pawnbrokers and personal property brokers: the business, or any part of it, cannot be conducted in the same establishment used for any other business or in a retail or wholesale store, and no entrance or exit to the pawnshop may open into another business; it must open directly onto a public street or public place, or, above the street floor in an office building, onto the public hallway. 150. 100.

Violations & Fines

Running a pawnshop without a Chief of Police permit, combining it with another retail business in the same storefront, or routing its entrance through another business violates § 3.52.230(B) and is a misdemeanor under § 3.52.260. The Chief of Police may revoke or suspend a pawnbroker's permit under § 3.52.080 for fraud, false statements, or a conviction involving moral turpitude, embezzlement or receiving stolen property, and a denied applicant cannot reapply for one year under § 3.52.110.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Fullerton pawnshop share space with another store?
No. Fullerton Municipal Code § 3.52.230(B) bars a pawnbroker from conducting business in the same establishment used for any other business or in a retail or wholesale store, and requires the pawnshop's entrance and exit to open directly onto a public street rather than into another business.
What does it cost to get a pawnbroker permit in Fullerton?
The Chief of Police charges a $100 initial application fee to cover the background investigation required under § 3.52.060, plus a $25 annual renewal fee paid to the City Treasurer.
What hours can a Fullerton pawnshop operate?
§ 3.52.210 prohibits a pawnbroker from accepting a pledge, making a loan, or buying or selling any item between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day.
How long is a Fullerton pawnbroker's permit valid?
Under § 3.52.100, the permit expires one year from the date it was issued and cannot be transferred to another person or used at a different business.

Sources & Official References

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