Hudson, NH Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Hudson's pawnbroker licensing chapter, Chapter 261, was adopted by the Board of Selectmen in 1998 (Ord. No. O98-01) under authority granted by New Hampshire RSA 322 and RSA 398. Section 261-4A requires any person, firm, partnership or corporation to obtain a Board of Selectmen license before operating as a pawnbroker, consistent with RSA 322:1 and 398:5. The application goes to the Hudson Police Department in writing on a Department-provided form, with a $50 application fee submitted at the same time under § 261-4B(1). The Chief of Police then investigates the applicant's fitness within 14 days and forwards findings and a recommendation to the Board of Selectmen, which approves or denies the license by majority vote; § 261-4B(3) bars a license to anyone convicted of receiving stolen property or who has repeatedly violated business-license laws in New Hampshire or elsewhere.

An approved license runs until April 1 of each year unless revoked, cannot be assigned or transferred, and must be displayed conspicuously where the public can see it, with a $50 renewal fee due each year by April 1 under § 261-4C. Section 261-5 additionally requires pawnbrokers to submit a personnel list and notify the Police Department of new hires. Substantively, § 261-6A bars pawnbrokers from taking any covered article in pawn from a minor under RSA 398:2, and §§ 261-7 through 261-8 impose detailed recordkeeping, photo-ID and police-inspection requirements plus a police hold-and-release procedure for seized evidence under RSA 595-A:6.