Worcester, MA Business Licensing & Operations: Pawnbrokers (2026)

c. 140, Sections 70 to 85. The license fee is $100, cannot be transferred without the chief's prior consent, and must be posted conspicuously on the licensed premises. Every license expires the following May 1 unless sooner revoked, so pawnbrokers renew annually on that fixed date rather than on the anniversary of issuance. Before a license issues, the applicant must file a $300 bond executed by the licensee and two sufficient sureties approved by the chief of police, payable to the city for the benefit of any aggrieved person and conditioned on the licensee's faithful observance of all applicable statutes, ordinances, and regulations.

The chief of police may also promulgate additional rules and regulations for administering the section, and violating any such rule counts as a violation of Section 7 itself. Most significantly, Section 7(g) hard-caps the number of pawnbroker licenses issued in Worcester at six, though the city council can raise or lower that cap based on demonstrated public need. That numeric ceiling means a new pawnbroker generally cannot enter the Worcester market unless an existing licensee gives up a slot or the council votes to expand the cap.