Macon-Bibb County, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Hold period
- 10 days on every pawned item
- Daily reports
- Due to sheriff's dept. by noon
- ID required
- Photo ID on sheriff's dept. form
- Minors
- Business with anyone under 18 banned
- License approval
- Sheriff's department
- Refusing inspection
- Immediate shop closure by sheriff
Summary
Macon-Bibb County pawnbrokers need a privilege license approved by the sheriff, must positively ID every pawner or seller, and must hold every pawned item for ten days in its original condition before it can be sold or melted down. Daily written reports go to the sheriff's department by noon, and dealing with anyone under 18 is banned outright.
Pawnbroker means any person engaged in whole or in part in the business of lending money on the security of pledged goods, or in the business of purchasing tangible personal property on the condition that it may be redeemed or repurchased by the seller for a fixed price within a fixed period of time, or in the business of purchasing tangible personal property from persons or sources other than manufacturers or licensed dealers as a part of or in conjunction with the business activities described in this section. ... For a period of ten (10) days from the date of pawning or purchasing, retain in a readily accessible place on the premises designated in the license for doing business, the form containing the above information and hold on these premises in a place readily available for inspection by law enforcement officials all of these designated items in the same condition as they existed when first pawned or purchased
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Comprehensive Land Development Resolution: Supplement 4 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
" Like precious metals dealers, pawnbrokers must obtain a privilege license under § 7-238, with the application approved by the sheriff and denied to anyone with a felony or theft-related misdemeanor conviction within five years (§ 7-239). Pawnbroker-specific rules go further than the general dealer license. the form containing the above information and hold on these premises in a place readily available for inspection by law enforcement officials all of these designated items in the same condition as they existed when first pawned or purchased" for ten full days (§ 7-241(3)).
Multiple items from the same person must be held together during that window. Section 7-242 requires a daily written report to the sheriff's department on every item received in pawn, and § 7-245 requires that report before 12:00 noon each day (Saturday transactions reported the following Monday). Section 7-243 bans transacting business with anyone under 18, and § 7-244 requires the pawnbroker to keep a running book or register of every pledged item and its owner, open to sheriff inspection at all times.
Violations & Fines
A pawnbroker's license can be revoked under § 7-240 for any conviction, guilty plea, or nolo contendere plea to a felony or theft-related misdemeanor by the licensee or any employee or partner. Refusing to submit to a sheriff's inspection under § 7-245 gets the shop "immediately closed by order of the sheriff." Violations otherwise carry the general penalty at Code of Ordinances § 1-6.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long must a Macon-Bibb County pawnshop hold an item before reselling it?
What does a Macon-Bibb pawnbroker have to report to the sheriff?
Can a pawnshop refuse a sheriff's inspection in Macon-Bibb County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Macon-Bibb County
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