Prince George's County, MD Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- PG County Code § 5-234
- Countywide license cap
- 31 pawn dealer licenses
- Business hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. only
- Mandatory holding period
- 30 days (plus 12 if police request)
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $1,000, up to 6 months jail
- Minimum age to trade with a dealer
- 18
Summary
Prince George's County caps the number of pawn dealer licenses at 31 countywide and requires every secondhand or pawn dealer to be licensed by DPIE, keep detailed transaction records, and report daily to County Police through the RAPID database. Dealers may operate only between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person, corporation, or other business entity in Prince George's County to operate as, or act as agent for, a secondhand dealer or pawn dealer unless in possession of a valid and unsuspended Secondhand Dealer or Pawn Dealer's License issued by the Director of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement. ... (e)The number of pawn dealer licenses shall be limited to thirty-one (31). Except as provided in this Section, pawn dealer licenses may not be leased, sold, assigned, or otherwise transferred, or held and operated where the controlling interest of the licensee's pawn shop business has been leased, sold, assigned or transferred to another individual or business.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2026 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 5-234(a) makes it unlawful to operate as, or act as agent for, a secondhand dealer or pawn dealer in Prince George's County without a valid, unsuspended license issued by DPIE. Sec. 5-234(e) caps the total number of pawn dealer licenses countywide at 31, and those licenses generally cannot be leased, sold, assigned, or transferred except to a parent, sibling, or child of the license holder. Every employee of a licensed dealer must also hold an individual license and pass a criminal background check before starting work, per Sec.
5-234(c). Sec. the next business day; dealers must also report through the Regional Automated Property Information Database (RAPID). Sec. 5-238 imposes a 30-day mandatory holding period on pawned or purchased items before resale, extendable by 12 days if police have reasonable cause to believe an item is stolen, though the 30-day hold does not apply to pawned items redeemed with the original ticket. Sec. , bans drive-up window transactions entirely, and Sec. 5-240(d) bars DPIE from issuing a pawn dealer license to anyone who also holds a general business license or a liquor retailing license. Sec. 5-236 flatly prohibits trading with anyone under 18.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 5-241(a) makes any violation subject to a civil fine under Subtitle 28, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense. Sec. 5-241(b) separately makes a knowing violation, or making a false statement or giving false identification in connection with a transaction, a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. Refusing a County Police inspection under Sec. 5-239 triggers automatic license suspension pending a search warrant and the outcome of the inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a limit on how many pawn shops can operate in Prince George's County?
How long must a pawn shop hold an item before reselling it?
Can a pawn shop use a drive-up window?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince George's County
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