San Mateo County, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual license fee
- $60.00
- Goods hold period before resale
- 15 days minimum
- Prohibited hours
- 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
- Badge deposit / replacement
- $10 deposit, $5 replacement
- Minimum age to sell without consent
- 18 (parental consent below)
- General violation penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Anyone running a pawnbroker, secondhand dealer, junk dealer, or junk collector business in unincorporated San Mateo County must hold an annual License Board license under County Code Chapter 5.32. Applicants and badge-eligible employees submit fingerprints to the Sheriff, pay the license fee, and clear character review before opening.
(a) No person shall engage in, operate, maintain, or carry on the business of a pawnbroker, secondhand dealer, junk dealer, or junk collector, without first making Application therefor, paying the annual License fee therefor, and receiving a License from the License Board to engage in such business pursuant to Chapter 5.04 of this title. (b) Each Application for a License under this chapter shall be accompanied by the fingerprints of the Applicant and of each of his employees to receive a badge under Section 5.32.170 upon a form issued by the Sheriff of the County of San Mateo. [...] The annual License fee for each License issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be $60.00.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 47).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 5.32.060 makes it unlawful to engage in, operate, maintain, or carry on the business of a pawnbroker, secondhand dealer, junk dealer, or junk collector without first applying to and receiving a License from the License Board under Chapter 5.04. Every application must be accompanied by fingerprints of the applicant and of each employee who will receive a badge under § 5.32.170, taken on a form issued by the Sheriff. The annual license fee is $60.00 under § 5.32.080. Beyond the fee, § 5.32.090 routes every application to the Sheriff and District Attorney for a character investigation, with both agencies required to report to the License Board within 14 days, and § 5.32.100 sends the application to the Planning Commission to confirm the proposed location conforms with zoning.
Licensees must keep a bound, ink-written record book at the place of business (on each conveyance, for junk collectors) logging every item's description, purchase or sale date, price, and the seller's or buyer's name, address, and signature; the book must be open to inspection by any Sheriff, police officer, or peace officer during business hours (§ 5.32.110). All goods acquired by pawn, pledge, or purchase must be held at least 15 days before resale (§ 5.32.120). Business is prohibited between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (§ 5.32.140).
A pawnbroker cannot operate on the same premises as a secondhand dealer or junk dealer, and secondhand/junk operators cannot take pledges or pawns (§ 5.32.130). Buying from anyone visibly intoxicated or from a minor under 18 without signed parental consent is unlawful (§ 5.32.150), and employing a minor to collect or receive property for the business is separately prohibited (§ 5.32.160). Licensed employees working away from a fixed place of business must wear a numbered metal badge issued against a $10 deposit, $5 of which is refunded on surrender of the license and badge to the Tax Collector within 30 days of expiration; a lost badge costs $5 to replace (§ 5.32.170).
Violations & Fines
Chapter 5.32 sets no standalone penalty, so violations fall under the code's general misdemeanor clause, County Code § 1.08.010(a): any violation of a mandatory Code requirement is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500.00, imprisonment in the County jail for up to six months, or both. The Sheriff can also seize unlicensed inventory in the course of an investigation, and the License Board can deny or decline to renew a license based on the Sheriff's and District Attorney's character reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this license apply anywhere in San Mateo County?
How long must a pawnshop hold items before reselling them?
Can a pawnbroker buy from a minor?
What records must a licensed dealer keep?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Mateo County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Mateo County to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.