Milwaukee, WI Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- License type
- Secondhand dealer's license (Ch. 92)
- Holding period
- 30 days for pawned items
- Pawn receipt
- Free, serially numbered, required each loan
- ID required
- Current, unexpired government-issued identification
- First-offense penalty
- $50-$1,000 forfeiture plus costs
Summary
Milwaukee pawnbrokers must hold a secondhand dealer's license, hold every pawned item 30 days for police inspection, and issue a free, numbered pawn receipt for each loan.
LICENSE REQUIRED. It shall be
unlawful to carry on, engage, or operate the
business of pawnbroker, secondhand dealer, or
precious metal and gem dealer without having
first obtained a secondhand dealer's license in
accordance with the provisions of this
subchapter.
2. SECONDHAND DEALER MALLS.
The owner of a business at which 2 or more
secondhand dealers are engaged in business by
maintaining separate sales space and identifying
themselves to the public as individual dealers
may obtain a single license for that location. No
individual licenses are required of the tenant
occupants of such premises. No license shall be
issued to the secondhand dealer mall unless
each of the following requirements is met:
a. The business has a single name
and address.
b. The business is under the unified
control of one person, who shall hold the
license.
c. All sales are consummated at a
central point or register operated by the owner of
the business, and the owner maintains a
comprehensive account of all sales.
10/15/2019
-404-
3. EXCEPTION. The requirements of
this section shall not apply to the following:
a. Any party dealing exclusively in
motor vehicles, stamps, audio and video media,
baseball cards, books and magazines, works of
fine art, or industrial machinery and equipment.
b. Any individual registered as an
auctioneer under ch. 480, Wis. Stats.
c.
Full Breakdown
Milwaukee requires anyone operating as a pawnbroker to first obtain a secondhand dealer's license under Chapter 92; operating without one is unlawful (§92-23-1). Licensed pawnbrokers must hold every item pawned or pledged for 30 days, unaltered and separate from other stock, for inspection by the chief of police (§92-33-3a), verify the pledgor's identity with current government-issued ID, and refuse business with intoxicated persons or unaccompanied minors under 18. Every loan requires a free, serially numbered pawn receipt listing the pawnbroker's name and address, a description of the item, the loan amount, and the date (§92-35). The receipt log stays open to inspection by the police chief at any reasonable time.
Violations & Fines
First offense: forfeiture of $50 to $1,000 plus prosecution costs, with jail possible in default of payment. Second or subsequent offense: $500 to $2,000 forfeiture plus costs (§92-37).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Milwaukee require a special pawnbroker license?
How long must a Milwaukee pawnbroker hold pawned items before reselling them?
What must a Milwaukee pawn receipt include?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Milwaukee
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Pawnbrokers in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Milwaukee County handle pawnbrokers.