Newark, OH Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Chapter 852 of the Newark Code of Ordinances regulates pawnbrokers, defined in Section 852.01 as any person who loans money upon the deposit or pledge of personal property or a chose in action, on condition of selling it back at a stipulated price. Section 852.02 bars conducting the business within the City without first obtaining a license from the Mayor.

Section 852.03 lets the Mayor grant a license to any person of good moral character who applies, pays a license fee of fifty dollars per year into the City Treasury, and executes a bond with surety to the Mayor's satisfaction in the amount of five hundred dollars, conditioned on following the chapter, State law and other City ordinances on pawnbrokers.

Record keeping is detailed in Section 852.04, which carries a 2012 amendment (Ord. 12-37-A, passed 11-5-12). Each licensee keeps a correct list and description in a book of every article pledged or purchased, with the depositor's name, place of residence and time of deposit. Entries are in ink in English, and nothing can be erased, obliterated or defaced. Information stored on a computer database cannot be altered or deleted. The licensee must require a valid State license or State identification from the person pledging an item and record the number. Every licensee must subscribe to Leadsonline or a similar electronic reporting system, keep the subscription active, upload the information as soon as reasonably possible after each transaction, and fill every supported data field. If the system is down, records go in within twenty-four hours of it coming back up.

Section 852.05 keeps the records open at all times to the Chief of Police, a deputized officer or the Mayor, and the pawnbroker must produce any listed article on demand. Section 852.06 bars taking property from minors, from a person appearing to be intoxicated, from a known notorious thief, or from a person known to have been convicted of larceny or burglary. Section 852.07 prohibits selling a pawn until thirty days after the expiration of the time for which it was pawned.