San Leandro, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Chapter 4-9 of the Municipal Code, in force since Ordinance No. 81-072 (1981), requires anyone operating as a junk dealer, secondhand dealer or pawnbroker in San Leandro to hold a permit issued by the Chief of Police under Section 4-9-200. Applicants file with the Chief of Police under Section 4-9-205, and the Chief must issue the permit within 45 days under Section 4-9-215 unless Section 4-9-210 finds the applicant was convicted of receiving or attempting to receive stolen property, that the business would violate law or create a public nuisance at the proposed location, that the application contains a material false statement or concealment, or that the applicant is under 18.

A permit can be suspended or revoked on the same grounds, but only after a hearing with at least five working days' written notice under Section 4-9-220, and a denial, suspension or revocation can be appealed to the City Council within 10 days under Section 4-9-225, which must hold a hearing within 30 days of the appeal. Section 4-9-230 lets the City Council set the non-refundable application fee by resolution, on top of any standard business license fee. Once operating, a pawnbroker must keep a bound book in English recording an exact description, including serial numbers, of every item pledged, purchased or received, the customer's name, signature, address, date of birth, sex and description, the amount paid and interest rate, the date and hour, and any vehicle license plate used to deliver the property, under Section 4-9-300, and must transmit copies to the Chief of Police daily under Section 4-9-305.

Records stay open to police inspection at any time under Section 4-9-310, and altering them is a separate misdemeanor under Section 4-9-315. Pledged or purchased items must be held 30 days from the Police Department's receipt of the records before resale under Section 4-9-400, and the Chief can extend that with a 60-day hold order under Section 4-9-410 for anything other than tangible personal property exempted by Business and Professions Code Section 21627.