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

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

License
Required before opening (§ 10.20.010)
Daily police report
Due before 10:00 a.m. (§ 10.20.050)
Holding period
10 days from report date (§ 10.20.030)
Early-sale records
Buyer info kept 3 years if sold early
Store hours
7 a.m.-7 p.m.; to 11 p.m. in December (§ 10.20.080)
Minimum customer age
21, unless signed parental consent (§ 10.20.060)
License cancellation
City council hearing required (§ 10.20.100)

Summary

San Rafael requires a city license before anyone opens a pawnshop or secondhand-goods business, and Chapter 10.20 of the municipal code layers on strict recordkeeping. Every pawned or purchased item must be logged, reported to police by 10 a.m. the next morning, and held ten days before resale, and shops may only open seven a.m. to seven p.m., closed Sundays.

It is unlawful for any person to engage in or conduct, manage or carry on, within the city of San Rafael the business of pawnbroker or secondhand dealer, without first applying for and receiving a proper license from the city of San Rafael. ... Every pawnbroker and secondhand dealer shall retain in his possession for a period of ten (10) days, all articles pawned, purchased, exchanged or otherwise taken into his possession. The ten-day holding period with respect to such property shall commence with the date the report of its acquisition was made to the chief of police as required by Section 10.20.050. ... It is unlawful for any pawnbroker to open, keep or allow to be kept open, any store, shop or place for the transaction of any business of pawnbroker or to maintain, conduct, or transact the business of pawnbroker on any Sunday, or at any time except between the hours of seven a.m. and seven p.m. of the same day; provided, however, that the store, shop or place may be kept open and business conducted thereat for the additional hours of from seven p.m. to eleven p.m. of the same day during the month of December each year and also on the nights preceding all legal holidays.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 37).

Full Breakdown

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Violations & Fines

Section 10.20.100 ties license discipline to Section 10.20.090's duty to return recovered stolen or embezzled property: failing to make that return gives the city 'sufficient grounds' to cancel a pawnbroker's or secondhand dealer's license, but only after the city files written charges and the city council holds a hearing where the license holder may appear and present testimony. Operating without ever obtaining the required license is independently unlawful under Section 10.20.010, and concealing required records or articles from a peace officer on demand violates Section 10.20.040.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a license to run a pawnshop in San Rafael?
Yes. Section 10.20.010 makes it unlawful to engage in, conduct, manage or carry on the business of pawnbroker or secondhand dealer anywhere in the city without first applying for and receiving a license from the city. The license applies whether the business primarily loans against goods or buys and resells secondhand merchandise other than furniture and household goods.
How long must a pawnshop hold an item before reselling it?
Ten days, running from the date the shop's report of the acquisition was filed with the chief of police under Section 10.20.050. The chief may authorize earlier disposition for good cause, or a dealer can sell before the ten days run if it records the buyer's name, address and description and keeps that record for three years for law enforcement inspection, per Section 10.20.030.
What hours can a San Rafael pawnshop be open?
Section 10.20.080 limits pawnbrokers to seven a.m. through seven p.m. and bars operating at all on Sundays. The code carves out one seasonal exception: stores may stay open until eleven p.m. during December and on the nights before legal holidays, when pawn traffic and gift-related pledges typically rise.
Can a pawnbroker take an item from a minor?
Not without written parental or guardian consent for that specific transaction. Section 10.20.060 bars pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers from taking property from anyone who appears intoxicated or from any minor under twenty-one, unless the minor presents signed written consent from a parent or guardian that the dealer retains and shows to police on demand.

Sources & Official References

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All San Rafael rules

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