Grand Rapids, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Yes, via City Clerk
- Bond
- $6,000 penal sum
- Must report
- Lost/stolen goods to Police
- Records
- Follows Chapter 101 reporting rules
Summary
Grand Rapids pawnbrokers must hold a city license, post a $6,000 bond, and follow strict recordkeeping and stolen-goods rules under Chapter 100.
No person shall engage in the business of Pawnbroker in the City of Grand Rapids without first having complied with all the provisions of Act 273 of the Public Acts of the State of Michigan, for the year 1917, and the provisions of this Chapter and obtained the license as herein provided for.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 70).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 100 of the Grand Rapids City Code requires anyone operating a pawnbroker business to comply with the state pawnbrokers act and obtain a city license through the City Clerk. Before the license issues, the applicant pays an annual fee set in Chapter 92 and posts a $6,000 bond guaranteeing compliance with the Charter and Code. Licensees must post their name and "Licensed Pawnbroker" over the entrance, may not accept goods from an intoxicated person or anything they know or suspect is stolen, and must report lost or stolen items to police in writing. Since a 2010 amendment, pawnbrokers must also follow the recordkeeping, thumbprint, and daily electronic reporting requirements written for secondhand dealers in Chapter 101.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a license, skipping the required bond, or accepting goods from an intoxicated or suspected thief violates Chapter 100; convicted violations can trigger license revocation by the City Clerk on the Chief of Police's request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Grand Rapids pawnbroker accept goods from an intoxicated seller?
What bond does a Grand Rapids pawnbroker need?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Rapids
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Pawnbrokers in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kent County handle pawnbrokers.