License for pawnbrokers

You require a license to commercially operate a pawnbroking business or as an agent for a pawnbroker.

• completed application form
• copy of the identity card or comparable identity documents
• for proof of the corporate legal form
  • If the location of your company is in Germany, you will need:
    • for registered companies: an excerpt of the Commercial Register (Handelsregisterauszug) and if applicable a copy of the shareholders agreement (e.g. for a company constituted under civil law, (GbR)).
  • If your company is located abroad, you will need documents from the country where it is located which prove its legal form.
• for proof of personal reliability
  • If your place of residence is in Germany, you will normally need:
    • Certificate of Good Conduct (Führungszeugnis)
    • Excerpt from the Central Trade Register (Auszug aus dem Gewerbezentralregister)
  • If your place of residence is abroad, you will need documents from your native country, which prove that you have the personal reliability to provide the requested service.
• proof of insurance
• proof that you have adequate funds and securities available to run the business (if the place of residence is in Germany you normally need an excerpt from the debtors’ file)

When checking the personal reliability, in individual cases the authorising authority could request alongside the documents listed additional documents, which are appropriate to make a statement about your personal reliability as applicant.

In the case of legal entities (GmbH, corporate companies, AG, registered cooperatives) the application form only has to be completed by the legal entity itself. All personal documents have to be submitted for all natural persons authorised to manage the company (e.g. certificate of good conduct, personal documents). In addition, an excerpt from the Central Trade Register has to be applied for in the case of legal entities.

In the case of partnerships, which as such are not capable of holding a licence (GbR, KG, OHG, PartG, GmbH & Co. KG), each of the managing partners requires the licence. I.e. an application form and all personal documents are required for each person.

• proof of personal reliability
• proof that you have adequate funds and securities available to run the business for at least the first six months

Tip: Further information is available from the responsible trading authorities or at the responsible Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

§ 34 Gewerbeordnung (GewO) (Pfandleiher)

The application for the licence to run a business as a pawnbroker has to be submitted to the responsible authority.

The amount charged is based on the local regulations governing the fees.