New Hanover County, NC Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Pawnbroker business, from the county manager
- Eligibility
- Good moral character, no felony in 10 years
- Location limit
- Outside any city's corporate limits only
- Interest rate cap
- 2% per month maximum
- Reporting deadline
- Electronic transaction data to sheriff within 24 hours
- Governing statute
- G.S. 91A-1 et seq., adopted by reference
Summary
Sec. 14-164 makes it unlawful to operate as a pawnbroker in the county without a license from the county manager, and Sec. 14-165 requires good moral character, no felony conviction within ten years, and a sheriff's or SBI clearance letter, with the county adopting the state Pawnbrokers Modernization Act in full.
It is unlawful for any person to establish or conduct a business of pawnbroker unless such person has procured a license to conduct business in compliance with the requirements of this article. Violation of the license requirement will invoke the penalties set forth in G.S. 91A-11. ... Licenses shall be granted under this article if the pawnshop is to be operated outside the corporate limits of any city as defined by G.S. 160A-1.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 15 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
S. , by reference as the pawnbroker law for the county (Sec. 14-161). Sec. S. 91A-11. To qualify, Sec. 14-165(a) requires the applicant to be of good moral character and free of any felony conviction in the past ten years. The petition to the county manager must include the names and addresses of all owners, officers, or directors, the business's name and location, a statement of the net assets or capital to be used, an accountant's unaudited verification of that statement, an affidavit of no felony conviction, and a clearance certificate from the sheriff, police chief, or SBI (Sec.
14-165(b)). Licenses issue only for pawnshops located outside any city's corporate limits (Sec. 14-165(c)) and may be revoked after a hearing before the county manager or designee for substantial abuses, with denials appealable in writing within ten days (Sec. 14-165(d), (e)). Sec. 14-166 requires consecutively numbered records for every pawn transaction, capturing the pledged item's description and serial number, the pledgor's identity and date of birth, the transaction date, identification presented, and the loan amount, due date, and charges; pawn tickets must carry the statutory notices about 60-day sale after default and the pledgor's attestation the item is unencumbered.
Every licensed pawnbroker must run an electronic reporting system compatible with the sheriff's office system and transmit each transaction's data within 24 hours, or risk losing the license (Sec. 14-166(f)). Sec. 14-167 caps interest at two percent per month and limits total monthly fees to 20 percent of the principal, capped at $100 the first month, $75 the second and third months, and $50 every month after.
Violations & Fines
Operating as a pawnbroker without the required county license triggers the penalties set out in the state Pawnbrokers Modernization Act, G.S. 91A-11 (Sec. 14-164). The county manager may also revoke a license after a hearing for substantial abuses of the article (Sec. 14-165(d)), and a pawnbroker who fails to run the required electronic reporting system to the sheriff's office within 24 hours of each transaction risks revocation under Sec. 14-166(f).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who licenses pawnbrokers in New Hanover County?
What interest can a pawnbroker charge?
Can a pawnbroker operate inside the city of Wilmington under this county license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Hanover County
Compare New Hanover County to another location·View the North Carolina business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.