All pawnbrokers conducting business in this State are under the authority of and regulated by the Department of Consumer Affairs, the administrator of which has the authority to promulgate regulations as he considers necessary to carry out the conditions and intent of this chapter. No person may carry on the business of a pawnbroker in any location in this State without first having obtained a Certificate of Authority for each location from the Department of Consumer Affairs. Upon receipt of the application for the Certificate of Authority, the Department of Consumer Affairs shall notify the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction where the applicant intends to do business. The law enforcement agency shall conduct a criminal background investigation of the applicant and upon its completion shall make the results of the investigation known to the administrator of the Department of Consumer Affairs along with its appropriate recommendation on the issuance of the Certificate of Authority.

A person convicted of a felony may not be issued a Certificate of Authority to carry on the business of a pawnbroker or in any manner engage in the business of a pawnbroker, except that any person who is in the business of a pawnbroker on July 1, 1988, and who has been convicted of a felony before this date may be issued a Certificate of Authority and upon receiving it may continue in the business of a pawnbroker but if this person is convicted of a felony on or after July 1, 1988, he may not thereafter be issued a Certificate of Authority or carry on the business of a pawnbroker after the date of this subsequent felony conviction.

HISTORY: 1988 Act No. 491, Section 2.

Editor's Note

Prior Laws:1900 (23) 427; Civ. C. '02 Sections 1748, 1749; Civ. C. '12 Sections 2624, 2625; Civ. C. '22 Sections 3945, 3946; 1932 Code Sections 7129, 7130; 1942 Code Sections 7129, 7130; 1952 Code Section 56-1152; 1962 Code Section 56-1152.