Pawnbrokers—Limitation on numbers.
Seattle Mun. Code § 6.288.065
in effect6.288.065 - Pawnbrokers—Limitation on numbers.
A. No more than two (2) Pawnbroker endorsements shall be issued in each calendar year for the conduct of pawnbroker businesses at locations not licensed for pawnbroker activity on December 31st of the immediately preceding year.
B. Notwithstanding anything contained in subsection A of this section, no Pawnbroker endorsement shall be issued for the conduct of a pawnbroker business at a location not licensed for pawnbroker activity in the previous year if, on the March 30th next preceding the effective date of the license for which the Pawnbroker endorsement is sought, the number of locations licensed for pawnbroker activity exceeds one (1) for every fifteen thousand (15,000) inhabitants of the City, as reflected in the then most current final population figures available from the Washington State Office of Financial Management or its functional successor. Subsections A and B shall not restrict reissuance of a Pawnbroker endorsement to a new location.
C. The Chief of Police shall adopt and publicize a process for allocating new Pawnbroker endorsements by chance if there are or there are reasonably expected to be more new applicants in a year or other pertinent time period than the number of new endorsements permitted.
D. The Chief of Police shall report the status of the City's program for tracking pawn transactions and monitoring pawnshop operations to the City Council's Public Safety Committee or its functional successor on or before June 1, 2005.
(Ord. 120805, § 1, 2002: Ord. 120140, § 1, 2000: Ord. 118831, § 1, 1997: Ord. 117730, § 3, 1995; Ord. 117371, § 1, 1994; Ord. 116924, § 4, 1993.)
Source: City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT6BURE_SUBTITLE_IVNELICO_CH6.288USGODE_6.288.065PAIMNUFetched: 11/1/2026