Hanover County, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing authority
- Hanover County Sheriff
- Prerequisite
- Circuit court order under Va. Code § 54.1-4001
- Bond required
- $50,000 surety bond or letter of credit
- Pawnshop cap
- No more than 3 licensed locations countywide
- Record retention
- Electronic transaction records kept 1 year
Summary
No one may operate as a pawnbroker in Hanover County without a license from the Sheriff under Code § 12.5-31, which requires a circuit court order, a bond, fingerprints and a background disclosure, in Hanover County outside the Town of Ashland.
(a)Required. ... No person shall engage in the business of a pawnbroker without first obtaining a license from the Sheriff.(b)Application; issuance. Prior to the issuance of the license, the applicant shall furnish to the Sheriff an order of the county circuit court issued pursuant to Code of Virginia, § 54.1-4001, as amended, authorizing the county to issue the license, and evidence of a bond meeting the requirements set out in section 12.5-36. ... (c)Penalty. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Each day's violation shall constitute a separate offense.
Full Breakdown
5, Article III of the Hanover County Code puts pawnbroker licensing under the Sheriff's Office rather than a business-license office. 5-31, the applicant must first obtain an order from the Hanover County Circuit Court under Va. 5-36. The Sheriff's application form requires the applicant's full name, aliases, address, date of birth, driver's license number, sex, fingerprints and photograph, the employer's name and contact information, a sworn statement disclosing any criminal convictions or pending charges, and the proposed business location. 5-32 caps the county at three licensed pawnshops at any time; the circuit court will not authorize a new license once that cap is reached unless the number drops below three, though a buyer of an existing licensed pawnshop can obtain a new license for the same location if not convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude in the past ten years.
5-34. 5-39 at 10 percent per month on loans of $25 or less, 7 percent on loans between $25 and $100, and 5 percent on loans of $100 or more.
Violations & Fines
Section 12.5-31(c) makes operating without a license a Class 1 misdemeanor, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. Section 12.5-30 makes most other violations of the pawnbroker article a Class 4 misdemeanor, and the court may revoke or suspend a license for a second or subsequent offense. Violations also count as prohibited practices under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, Va. Code § 59.1-196 et seq.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues pawnbroker licenses in Hanover County?
How many pawnshops can operate in Hanover County?
What interest can a Hanover County pawnbroker charge?
What happens if a pawnbroker operates without a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hanover County
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