Virginia Beach, VA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Citywide cap
- 15 licensed pawnshops
- License tax
- 0.36% of gross receipts
- State license required first
- Va. Code § 54.1-4001
- Daily reports due
- By noon to police chief
- Reporting violation penalty
- Class 4 misdemeanor
Summary
Virginia Beach limits the city to fifteen licensed pawnshops at any one time, and won't issue a local license until the operator already holds the state pawnbroker license required by Virginia law.
No more than fifteen (15) pawnshops shall be licensed to operate in the city at any one time.(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), any pawnshop licensed to operate in the city as of the date of adoption of this section may remain so licensed as long as such pawnshop shall remain continuously in operation.(c)The commissioner of revenue shall not issue any license to operate a pawnshop, except to renew any license in good standing, unless the number of pawnshops licensed has been reduced below the maximum prescribed herein.(d)When the number of pawnshops in the city has reached the maximum prescribed herein, the commissioner of revenue shall file a statement with the circuit court that the maximum number of pawnshops authorized to be operated in the city has been reached.(e)For purposes of this section, the term "pawnshop" shall be deemed to include pawnbrokers' sales stores. (Ord. No. 2191, 11-10-92)
Secs. 25-13—25-22. - Reserved.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 170 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 25-12 caps the number of licensed pawnshops citywide at fifteen; once that ceiling is hit, the commissioner of the revenue stops issuing new licenses until an existing one lapses (renewals of shops already licensed are unaffected). Separately, § 18-92 bars the commissioner from issuing the city's pawnshop business license at all unless the applicant first produces the state license required by Code of Virginia § 54.1-4001. The city license carries a 0.36 percent gross-receipts tax. Existing pawnbrokers must also file daily transaction reports with the police chief under § 25-6 and keep detailed loan records under § 25-8.
Violations & Fines
Operating a pawnshop without the state-prerequisite license or above the 15-shop cap blocks issuance entirely; failing the daily police reporting requirement is a Class 4 misdemeanor, and a pawnbroker convicted under Chapter 25 can also have the license revoked at the court's discretion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a new pawnshop open in Virginia Beach right now?
What does a pawnbroker need before applying for the city license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Virginia Beach
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