Loudoun County, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Chapter 830, Article A of the Loudoun County Code requires anyone acting as a pawnbroker, lending money against pledged personal property, or buying property on condition of reselling it to the seller, to hold a license issued by the Sheriff under Section 830.03 before engaging in the business at all; operating without one is itself a violation. Section 830.05(a) requires applicants to disclose their business address(es) and any felony or moral-turpitude conviction within the preceding ten years, and Section 830.05(b) conditions licensure on maintaining a surety bond of at least $50,000 to secure any judgment a customer later wins for the pawnbroker's misconduct.

Licenses run one year, are posted conspicuously at the business under Section 830.06, and cannot be transferred. Section 830.13 hard-caps the county at no more than eight operating pawnshops at any one time, and pawnshops located inside Leesburg, Purcellville, or any other incorporated Loudoun town count toward that same eight-shop ceiling, so the towns don't get separate allotments. Pawnbrokers must also keep a 24-month transaction record with photographs and seller ID for every item under Section 830.07(a), report each transaction to the Sheriff within 24 hours under Section 830.08, and hold pawned goods untouched for 15 days after reporting under Section 830.10. The Sheriff can revoke or suspend a license for any violation under Section 830.12.