Lincoln County, NC Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Chapter 113 requires anyone establishing or conducting a pawnbroker business in the county, including outside Lincolnton's limits, to hold a license under G.S. Ch. 66, Art. 45 (§ 113.03). An applicant must be of good moral character and free of a felony conviction in the last ten years, and must submit personal and business information, an unaudited accountant's statement of net assets, a felony affidavit, and a clean-record certificate from the Sheriff or SBI; the license fee is $200 (§ 113.04). Section 113.05 requires a consecutively numbered pawn ticket for every transaction recording the item, the pledgor's identity and description, the date, the amount advanced, all charges, and the agreed stated value, with records open to Sheriff inspection during business hours.

Interest is capped at 2% per month, and combined monthly fees cannot exceed 20% of principal, tiered from $100 the first month down to $50 from the fourth month on (§ 113.06). A pawn matures no sooner than 30 days and property becomes sellable only after 60 days of nonpayment past maturity (§ 113.07). Section 113.08 bars pledges from anyone under 18, requires 48 hours before pledged goods can be resold or removed, limits a licensee to one pawnshop, and forbids taking mobile homes, RVs or motor vehicles other than motorcycles as pledges.

Every licensee must post a $5,000 bond payable to the county (§ 113.10), and licenses run one year, renewable under § 113.04's standards (§ 113.09).