Smyrna, GA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Article III of Chapter 22 regulates pawnshops and the swap shops that buy, sell and trade new and used merchandise. Section 22-69 requires an application with the office of the city clerk or a designate before beginning the business, and § 22-71 requires the window inscription "City of Smyrna Pawnshop Certificate Number" in uniform letters not less than three inches in height. Pawn transactions are held for 30-day periods, or longer if directed by the police department (§ 22-72). During the first 90 days, interest and pawnshop charges together cannot exceed 25 percent of the principal advanced for each 30-day period, and after 90 days the cap is 12.5 percent.

A pawnbroker cannot lease a motor vehicle back to the pledgor. Every transaction goes into an automated electronic reporting system that transmits to the police department, with a digital photograph of the customer and the goods, and records are kept for four years (§ 22-73). Section 22-76 requires a daily report covering the 24 hours ending at 8:00 p.m., a right-hand index fingerprint, and government-issued photo identification. Employees must be at least 18 years of age, fingerprinted and issued an annual personal identification card by the police department (§ 22-77).

Hours run from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., except Sundays (§ 22-78). A licensee can add new merchandise of the same type up to a value of $1,000.00 without an additional certificate fee (§ 22-79). Pawned goods are held at least 30 days before sale, while buy transactions carry no hold unless police direct one (§ 22-80). No one can hold both a used or new car certificate and a title pawn certificate at one location (§ 22-121).