Little Chute, WI Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Covers
- Coins, bullion, precious metals, gems
- Seller ID required
- Yes, every transaction
- Holding period
- 30 days minimum
- State authority
- Wis. Stat. § 134.71
Summary
Buying, selling, or exchanging coins, bullion, or precious-metal and gem items from the public in Little Chute requires a village license, mandatory seller ID, and a 30-day hold on purchased items.
No precious metal or gem dealer, as defined in this article, shall engage in the business, either permanently or temporarily, of dealing in, selling or exchanging covered articles without first having obtained a license or permit as provided in this section.(b)When license or permit is not required.(1)No license or permit shall be required, nor shall the provisions of this section apply to occasional, garage or yard sales. In this subsection, the term "occasional" means one time during any calendar year.(2)Transactions between dealers licensed under this section or businesses regularly purchasing their stock from regularly established wholesalers, dealers or suppliers publicly doing business as such.(3)Transactions involving the purchase of grindings, filings, slag, sweeps, scraps or dust from an industrial manufacturer, dental laboratory, dentist or agent thereof.(4)Transactions involving the purchase of photographic film, such as lithographic and X-ray processing.(c)When permit is required. A permit, but no license, shall be required for estate sales, coin, gem or antique shows and sales of covered articles at conventions or auctions. (Code 2006, § 7-12-2)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 18 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Village of Little Chute Code § 10-305(a) requires a license or permit before a precious metal and gem dealer buys, sells, or exchanges 'covered articles', coins, bullion, and items containing gold, silver, or other metals, or precious/semiprecious stones, with the general public. The village licenses this trade under the state authority granted for pawnbrokers and secondhand jewelry dealers, Wis. Stats. § 134.71. Dealers must check government-issued ID from every seller, log each transaction in a bound register, obtain a signed ownership declaration, and hold every purchased item unaltered for at least 30 days under § 10-309 so police can inspect it. The village board can deny or revoke a license for a disqualifying criminal record under § 10-308(b).
Violations & Fines
Buying or selling covered articles without the license violates § 10-305(a); violations of §§ 10-304 through 10-309 are subject to the general penalty prescribed by § 1-12.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Little Chute require a pawnbroker-style license for buying used jewelry?
How long must a Little Chute dealer hold a purchased item before reselling it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Little Chute
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