Westland, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)
Key Facts
- Classified as
- Second hand dealer under § 26-3
- License authority
- Westland city clerk
- Police hold order
- Up to 90 days
- Adopting ordinance
- Ord. No. 220-A-3 (2019)
Summary
Westland treats pawnbrokers as secondhand dealers requiring a city clerk license, and lets police place up to 90-day investigative holds on pawned property suspected of being stolen.
The term "second hand dealer" includes a "pawnbroker" as that term is defined in section 3 of the Pawnbrokers Act, 1917 PA 273, MCL 446.203(e).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66).
Full Breakdown
Westland Code of Ordinances § 26-3(f)(i) provides that the term 'second hand dealer' includes a 'pawnbroker' as defined in the state Pawnbrokers Act, so pawnbrokers must meet the same city clerk license, fingerprint, and recordkeeping requirements as any junk dealer under Article I. Section 26-7 adds pawnbroker-specific tools: an appropriate law enforcement official may place a written hold order, up to 90 days, on property believed misappropriated, after which title vests in the pawnbroker if no court extension follows. Adopted by Ord. No. 220-A-3, April 1, 2019. Wayne County, Michigan.
Violations & Fines
Operating as an unlicensed pawnbroker is a misdemeanor carrying up to a $500 fine and 90 days in jail, plus a two-year license revocation on conviction; releasing property against a valid police hold order is a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are pawnshops licensed separately from secondhand dealers in Westland?
Can Westland police hold pawned property they suspect is stolen?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westland
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Pawnbrokers in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle pawnbrokers.