Margate, FL Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

The Margate Code licenses pawnbrokers through the local business tax. Section 25-11 lists pawnbrokers twice: as item (e) under Brokers or Brokerage and as its own classification, item 134. Both fix the annual tax at $840.00. For comparison, an appliance broker pays $100, an automobile broker $200, a mobile home broker $150, a mortgage broker $200, a real estate broker $150 and a stocks, bonds, futures or options broker $300.

Section 25-1 requires a receipt from the city before the business opens, for each permanent location and each branch office. Section 25-12 grants a new or transferred receipt only if the use complies with all applicable city land use, zoning, building and fire codes for that occupation. Receipts are due by October 1 and expire September 30, with one-half of the annual tax due when the receipt is obtained between April 1 and September 30. A transfer to a new owner costs $5.00 and must occur within ten days of a bona fide sale.

Section 33-74 adds a recordkeeping duty for any merchant in the city that buys gold, silver or platinum items from the general public. The merchant must keep a written record for three years on the premises, available to any law enforcement agency on request, showing the date of purchase, a description of each item, the seller's name and address and signature, the price paid, the seller's driver's license number if available, and the source used to verify the seller's identity.

The Land Development Code also keeps pawn shops apart from certain neighbors: in business districts, check cashing and payday loan stores, dollar stores and secondhand or used merchandise retailers cannot locate within one thousand feet of a pawn shop.