Southfield, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing authority
- Mayor of Southfield
- Governing state statute
- Act 273, Public Acts of 1917
- Additional applicable statute
- Act 231, Public Acts of 1945
- Fee basis
- Chapter 71 fee schedule
- General penalty
- up to $500 fine / 90 days
Summary
In the City of Southfield, no one may engage in the business of pawnbroker without a license issued by the mayor under the state Pawnbrokers Act, and a violation of that act is itself a violation of the City Code.
No person shall engage in the business of pawnbroker without first obtaining a license therefor. In accordance with the provisions of Act 273 of Public Acts of 1917, State of Michigan, (C.L. '48, Sec. 446.201 et seq.) pawnbroker licenses shall be issued by the mayor. The fee for such license shall be as prescribed in Chapter 71 of this Code. Any licensee violating any of the provisions of Public Act 273 of 1917, as amended, shall be guilty of a violation of this Code and punished as prescribed in Chapter 1 hereof.
Full Breakdown
Southfield City Code Chapter 75, Article II covers pawnbrokers. Sec. 7.116 requires a license before engaging in the business of pawnbroker, issued by the mayor in accordance with Act 273 of the Public Acts of 1917, State of Michigan, with the fee set under the Chapter 71 schedule. The section separately layers on Act 231 of the Public Acts of 1945, applying its requirements to pawnbrokers licensed under this chapter as well. A licensee who violates either Act 273 of 1917 or Act 231 of 1945 is guilty of a violation of the City Code and punished as prescribed in Chapter 1, so state law substance is incorporated directly into the city's licensing scheme rather than restated.
As with secondhand and junk dealers under Article I of the same chapter, pawnbroker licensees remain subject to the general licensing framework of Chapter 70, including the application requirements of Sec. 7.4, the certification requirements of Sec. 7.7 through 7.11 where applicable, bonding under Sec. 7.12, and suspension or revocation for cause under Sec. 7.17.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 7.116 makes a violation of either Act 273 of the Public Acts of 1917 or Act 231 of the Public Acts of 1945 a violation of the City Code, punished as prescribed in Chapter 1. Under the Sec. 1.15 general penalty, that means a fine of not more than $500, imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both, with every day of a continuing violation a separate offense. A license may also be suspended or revoked for cause under Sec. 7.17 and Sec. 7.18.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who licenses pawnbrokers in Southfield?
What state law applies to a Southfield pawnbroker license beyond the 1917 Act?
What is the penalty for a pawnbroker who violates the licensing statutes in Southfield?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southfield
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