Kenosha, WI Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

b conditions license issuance on the applicant posting a $500 bond with at least two sureties guaranteeing compliance with all City ordinances relating to pawnbrokers. The annual license fee under Subsection H is $1,000, running from January 1 through the following December 31, and licenses cannot be transferred. Applicants must disclose any felony conviction within the preceding 10 years or misdemeanor within the preceding 5 years that relates to the licensed activity; the Kenosha Police Department investigates each applicant and reports findings to the City Attorney, who recommends approval or denial to the Committee on Licenses/Permits and Common Council.

Once licensed, a pawnbroker must verify each customer's identity with a government-issued ID, may not transact with minors absent parental consent, and must photograph or video-record both the customer and every item pawned or sold, retaining the images for at least one year. a, any article or jewelry a pawnbroker purchases or receives must be held on the premises unaltered for at least 30 days after the transaction unless the lawful owner recovers it sooner, giving law enforcement and theft victims a window to identify and reclaim stolen property.

Pawnbrokers must also report every transaction electronically to the Police Department daily once the department supplies compatible software, and payments to customers must be made by check or automated clearing house rather than cash.