Pawnshops / Title Pawn

The Department does not license or have jurisdiction over pawnbrokers, pawn transactions, or title pawn transactions.  The following is provided for informational purposes to direct consumers to the appropriate agency for possible assistance with an issue or complaint. 

The Georgia legislature has codified certain requirements for pawnbrokers, pawn transactions, and title pawn transactions.  O.C.G.A. §§ 44-12-130 through 44-12-138.[1]  A “pawnbroker” is any person engaged in the business of lending money on the security of pledged goods, or in the business of purchasing tangible personal property on the condition that it may be redeemed or repurchased by the seller for a fixed price within a fixed period of time, or in the business of purchasing tangible personal property from persons or sources other than manufacturers or licensed dealers as a part of or in conjunction with the above business activities.  O.C.G.A. § 44-12-130(2).  A “pawn transaction” means any loan on the security of pledged goods that may be redeemed or repurchased by the pledgor or seller for a fixed price within a fixed period of time.  O.C.G.A. § 44-12-130(3).

Georgia law provides that municipal authorities may license pawnbrokers, define powers and privileges by ordinance, and exercise such general supervision as will ensure fair dealing between pawnbrokers and consumers.  O.C.G.A § 44-12-136.  Pawnbrokers are limited in the amount of interest they may charge in connection with a pawn transaction.  O.C.G.A. § 44-12-131.  Additionally, Georgia law requires that pawnbrokers provide consumers with a written “disclosure ticket” in connection with any pawn transaction.  O.C.G.A. § 44-12-138. 

Municipalities may have created other requirements in local ordinances.  Consumers should contact local municipal authorities to determine if there are additional requirements for pawnbrokers and pawn transactions.

For additional information about title pawns and cash advances, please review the Consumer Ed website provided by the Consumer Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Law at www.consumer.georgia.gov/consumer-topics/title-pawns-and-cash-advances.

[1] To access these laws or any part of the Georgia Code, please visit the Georgia General Assembly and type in the relevant Code Section (e.g., “44-12-130”) into the provided search bar. (Links off-site)

The Code is provided by the State of Georgia from the Georgia General Assembly's website. In viewing the Code, please be aware that legislation passed during the most recent legislative session may not yet be posted on LexisNexis.