Royal Oak, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Chapter 521, Pawnbrokers, requires anyone operating as a pawnbroker in the City of Royal Oak to hold a City license under § 521-4; that license expires every December 31 after issuance unless the City revokes it sooner. Under § 521-5, every applicant files a sworn application with the City Clerk and pays a nonrefundable, annually renewed investigation fee set by City Commission resolution; the application must disclose the applicant's Social Security number, driver's license number, date of birth, employment history, any criminal convictions, and fingerprints taken by the Police Department, plus a detailed plan of operation covering hours, the type of property to be pawned, and staffing, and the City Commission can reasonably restrict what may be pawned.

Corporate and partnership applicants must also disclose their officers, directors, major stockholders, and a resident agent in Oakland County. Section 521-6 routes the application through the Chief of Police for a suitability investigation and then to the Chief Building Inspector and Fire Chief for a premises inspection before the City Commission votes. Under § 521-7, the City Commission can refuse, suspend, revoke, or decline to renew a license for fraud, code violations, nuisance conditions, failure to allow inspection, or failure to pay property taxes arising from use of the premises, and § 521-8 lets the Commission or a hearing officer conduct an annual review of any license.