Beaufort County, SC Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing authority
- Beaufort County Clerk of Court
- Annual license fee
- $100.00 (Code § 58-58)
- Required bond
- $1,000.00 with two sureties
- ID required per loan
- Two documents, one a Social Security card
- Wrong-address penalty
- $100.00 per day of violation
- Unlicensed operation penalty
- Up to $200.00 or 30 days
Summary
Beaufort County requires every pawnbroker to hold a license issued by the county clerk of court before opening for business, tied to one specific address. Operating without that license, or at any other premises than the one named on it, carries a civil penalty of $100.00 for every day the violation continues.
No person shall carry on the business of a pawnbroker in the county in any other house than the one designated in his license, under penalty of $100.00 for each day he shall exercise or carry on such business without such license or at any other licensed premises than the one designated, as required by S.C. Code 1976, § 40-39-20.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 55 Update 1 | Community Development Code: Supplement 16).
Full Breakdown
C. Code 1976, § 40-39-20. 00. 00 bond with two sureties, or a licensed surety company, conditioned on faithfully performing the pawnbroker's duties; a customer harmed by a licensed pawnbroker's misconduct can sue on that bond under § 58-60 after an unsatisfied judgment. Once licensed, § 58-91 requires the pawnbroker to keep a running book recording every loan, the goods pledged, the amount loaned, the date, the interest charged, and the pawnor's name and address, verified against at least two forms of identification, one of which must be a Social Security card, kept on the licensed premises during business hours.
Operating the business at all without any license is a separate misdemeanor under § 58-61, and the clerk of court can revoke a license for cause under § 58-62.
Violations & Fines
Carrying on a pawnbroker business without any license under Beaufort County Code of Ordinances § 58-61, or at a premises other than the one licensed under § 58-56, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $200.00 or 30 days' imprisonment, with each day of continued operation charged as a separate violation; operating at the wrong address alone also draws a straight $100.00-per-day civil penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues a pawnbroker license in Beaufort County?
Does a pawnbroker need a bond to get licensed?
What records must a Beaufort County pawnbroker keep?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Beaufort County
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