Trenton, NJ Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

Trenton Code § 197-2 bars anyone from engaging or continuing in business as a pawnbroker in the City without first obtaining a license from the City Clerk, and forbids pawnbroker signage, advertising, or use of the word pawnbroker without one; a separate license is required for each location and it cannot transfer to a new address without the Clerk's approval. Applicants must submit a written application under § 197-3 listing the applicant's name, residence, and, for a partnership or corporation, each member, officer, or stockholder, plus the business location.

The City Clerk charges an annual license fee of $500 under § 197-4, running from issuance through the end of the calendar year. Section 197-5 caps the City at three pawnbroker licenses total, with an exception preserving any pawnbroker already doing business in Trenton on or before September 2, 1999; the code states the intent is to reduce the number of licenses to three by attrition as existing licenses lapse. Section 197-6 bars issuing or transferring a license to a location within 2,500 feet of another licensed pawnshop, measured by the normal pedestrian walking route between the two nearest entrances.

The Police Director may issue recordkeeping rules under § 197-10, including a computerized daily download of pawn and purchase transactions with the seller's signature, a 15-day hold on precious metals and gems, valid ID from every seller, and a photograph of the seller entered into a database available to police on request. The City Clerk may revoke a license after five days' written notice and a hearing under § 197-8, and violations carry the Chapter 1 general penalty of up to $2,000, 90 days' imprisonment, or 90 days' community service.