NYC Admin. Code tit. 20, ch. 2, subch. 12 — Pawnbrokers | New York City Administrative Code (current through L.L. 2026/147, enacted September 12, 2026, and amendments effective through October 10, 2026) — City of New York

NYC Admin. Code § 20-276 Pawnbroker's clerks.

§ 20-276 Pawnbroker's clerks. It shall be unlawful for any pawnbroker to employ a person under the age of sixteen years to accept or receive any pledge.

NYC Admin. Code § 20-277 Reports.

§ 20-277 Reports. a. Every pawnbroker shall create an electronic record in English, in a manner to be specified by the police commissioner by rule. Such electronic record may include real-time sharing or accessing of such records in an electronic format and/or through use of an internet website designated by the police commissioner. Such electronic record shall be created by the dealer at the time of every transaction in which goods, articles and things, or any part thereof, are pawned, pledged or redeemed in the course of business of such pawnbroker. Such electronic record shall be retained for a minimum period of six years from the date of such transaction. Such electronic record shall include the following information: 1. The date, time, location and type of transaction; 2. An accurate description of each article pawned or pledged, including type of article, manufacturer, make, model or serial number, inscriptions or distinguishing marks, and at the discretion of the police commissioner and in furtherance of the purposes of this subchapter, one or more digital photographs reasonably capturing the likeness of the article; 3. An accurate description of each article purchased or sold, including type of article, manufacturer, make, model or serial number, inscriptions or distinguishing marks, and at the discretion of the police commissioner and in furtherance of the purposes of this subchapter one or more digital photographs reasonably capturing the likeness of the article. b. The police commissioner, at such times as he or she may prescribe in a written notice served upon any pawnbroker by a member of the police department, may in addition to the electronic record required by subdivision a of this section require such pawnbroker to report to such commissioner, upon blank forms to be furnished by the police department, a description of all goods, articles or things, or any part thereof, pawned or pledged in the course of business of such pawnbroker during the days specified in such notice, stating the numbers of the pawn tickets issued therefor, the amounts loaned thereon, and such identifying marks as may be on the goods pawned. If such notice from the police commissioner so prescribes, such pawnbroker, until he or she is notified to discontinue so doing, shall keep and furnish on such forms, identifying information regarding any pledgors or persons redeeming any articles pledged or pawned, including name, address, phone number, date of birth, sex, and race or ethnicity. c. Pawnbrokers shall acquire and maintain in good working order the electronic equipment necessary to create and maintain the electronic records required by subdivision a of this section, including but not limited to a computer with internet connection and a digital camera utilizing a file format designated by the police commissioner. d. Records required to be kept by pawnbrokers pursuant to this section shall be open to the inspection of the state attorney general, the state comptroller, any police officer, the commissioner, any departmental inspector, any judge of the criminal court, any person duly authorized in writing for such purposes by the commissioner or by any judge of the criminal court, who shall exhibit such written authority to the pawnbroker, or any other governmental officer or employee authorized by the state or local law. Such records shall also be open to the inspection of any official or other person identified in, or duly authorized in writing pursuant to, section forty-five of the general business law or any other applicable state or local law. e. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect or supersede any recordkeeping requirement imposed by or pursuant to any other applicable federal, state or local law. f. In addition to any other applicable penalty or sanction, any person who violates any of the provisions of this section or rules promulgated thereunder shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subdivision a of section 20-106 of this chapter.

NYC Admin. Code § 20-277.1 Tickets.

§ 20-277.1 Tickets. a. Every pawn ticket issued by a pawnbroker shall include a notation in either of the following forms: "not accountable for loss of goods by fire or theft" or "protected against loss by fire or theft." The commissioner may adopt such rules and regulations to permit words having practically the same meaning as the foregoing. b. Every pawnbroker shall, in every possible way, call attention to the contents of the pawn ticket, including the placing in a prominent position in such pawnbroker's place of business of a sign reading: "Read your ticket." c. In every case where a charge is made or a fee exacted for extra care, the pawnbroker shall specifically call the pledgor's attention to the said charge at the time the loan is made, and no such charge or fee shall be allowed unless such pledgor shall sign an agreement to pay such extra charge and the fee for such extra charge, as agreed upon, shall be plainly written on the face of the pawn ticket. d. Every pawnbroker shall place in a prominent position in such pawnbroker's place of business a reproduction of the application for the pawn ticket and the front of the pawn ticket which have been enlarged to twice their normal size, and a reproduction of the back of the pawn ticket which has been enlarged to three times its normal size. (L.L. 2021/080, 7/18/2021, eff. 11/15/2021) Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2021/080.

NYC Admin. Code § 20-277.2 Penalties.

§ 20-277.2 Penalties. Any person who violates any provision of this subchapter or any rules promulgated pursuant to this subchapter shall be subject to a civil penalty of: (i) one hundred seventy-five dollars for the first violation; (ii) three hundred dollars for the second violation; and (iii) five hundred dollars for the third and any subsequent violation; except that a person shall not be subject to such civil penalty for a first-time violation of subdivision b or d of section 20-277.1 of this subchapter, or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder, if such person proves to the satisfaction of the department, within thirty days of the issuance of the notice of violation and prior to the commencement of an adjudication of the violation, that the violation has been cured. The submission of proof of a cure, if accepted by the department as proof that the violation has been cured, shall be deemed an admission of liability for all purposes. The option of presenting proof that the violation has been cured shall be offered as part of any settlement offer made by the department to a person who has received, for the first time, a notice of violation of subdivision b or d of section 20-277.1, or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder. The department shall permit such proof to be submitted electronically or in person. A person may seek review, in the department's administrative tribunal, of the determination that the person has not submitted proof of a cure within fifteen days of receiving written notification of such determination. (L.L. 2021/080, 7/18/2021, eff. 11/15/2021) Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2021/080.