Victorville, CA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Two licenses required
- Business license plus Police Department pawn shop license
- Issuing authority
- Victorville Police Department
- Grouped with
- Junk dealers, secondhand dealers, vehicle wreckers
- Vehicle insurance minimum
- $250,000 per-person injury/death coverage
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor or administrative citation, Sec. 16-7.01.160
Summary
Anyone operating a pawnshop in Victorville needs both a standard business license and a separate pawn shop license issued directly by the Victorville Police Department. Section 16-7.10.010 groups pawnbrokers with junk dealers, secondhand dealers, and vehicle wreckers as businesses that lend money on personal property and require Police Department oversight before opening.
Every person conducting the business of junk dealer, secondhand dealer, automobile and truck wrecking or dismantling, pawnbroker, or similar business where money is loaned on personal property for compensation is required to have a business license. ... No person shall operate a pawn shop or secondhand dealership without first obtaining a "pawn shop" or "secondhand dealer" license issued by the Victorville Police Department.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 57).
Full Breakdown
" Beyond the standard business license issued through the Business License Division under Chapter 7's general licensing articles, the same Section separately requires that "no person shall operate a pawn shop or secondhand dealership without first obtaining a 'pawn shop' or 'secondhand dealer' license issued by the Victorville Police Department," putting pawnshop approval directly in the hands of the Police Department rather than the Building Official. The Section also regulates vehicles used to haul junk, rubbish, or garbage in connection with these businesses, requiring an insurance policy on file with the Business License Division covering at least $250,000 for injury or death of one person, $500,000 for injury or death of two or more persons in one accident, and $100,000 for property damage in one accident.
Because pawnbrokers loan money against personal property, they also fall under the general licensing safeguards in Article 2 of Chapter 7, including denial or revocation of a license for a business that constitutes a public nuisance or that has provided false or misleading information to the City.
Violations & Fines
Operating a pawnshop without both the underlying business license and the Police Department's pawn shop license violates Section 16-7.10.010 and subjects the operator to the misdemeanor and administrative-citation penalties in Section 16-7.01.160. The City can also deny or revoke a pawnbroker's license under Article 2 of Chapter 7 for nuisance conditions or material misrepresentation in the license application.
Frequently Asked Questions
What license does a pawnshop need to open in Victorville?
Why does the Police Department license pawnshops instead of the Building Official?
Can Victorville deny a pawnbroker's license application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Victorville
California rules heatmap·Compare Victorville to another location·View the California business licensing & operations overview
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Pawnbrokers in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle pawnbrokers.