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

HMC Sec. 01 defines a pawnbroker as anyone who keeps a loan or pawn office or takes jewelry, precious stones, firearms, clothing or other personal property in pledge as security for a loan and charges interest, excluding banks, trust companies and bond brokers. Sec. 20 makes it unlawful to run a pawnbroker business in Hayward without a valid permit under Chapter 6, Article 1, and applicants and anyone with a financial interest in the business may be fingerprinted by the Police Department; a prior felony, theft, false-pretenses or embezzlement conviction is grounds to deny the application.

Sec. 22 requires a bound transaction record in ink, in English, at the time of every purchase, sale, exchange or pledge, capturing the item's description, serial number and identifying marks, the customer's signature, address, age, sex and description, and the money and interest involved; a copy goes to the Chief of Police daily except Sundays and holidays. Sec. 24 sets holding periods before resale: thirty days for most goods, only five days for furniture and office equipment, and sixty days for higher-value items like watches, firearms, cameras and musical instruments other than pianos. Sec. 25 bars buying from minors, and Sec. the day before certain holidays.