The Application for Pawnbroker Permit (Rev. 05/2023) is the City of Albuquerque form that pawn businesses use to apply for a new pawnbroker permit or to renew one. It is not the city's business registration: current registration is a separate requirement that Zoning Enforcement checks before approving the application, so this is the permit to use for a pawn shop rather than a general Albuquerque business license. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the city publishes the original and the four-step approval process on its website.
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What is Application for Pawnbroker Permit – Albuquerque, NM?
The Application for Pawnbroker Permit is the City of Albuquerque form that a pawn business completes to obtain or renew its pawnbroker permit, which the city's instructions route through the Albuquerque Police Department, Zoning Enforcement, the City Clerk's Office and the Treasury Division.
The packet has an instruction sheet with four steps, the application itself, an Employee Information List and approval blocks for APD, Planning/Zoning Enforcement and the City Clerk that city staff complete. The application collects business and ownership details, authorized agents, a description of the operation, answers about firearms and vehicle sales, and the bonding and insurance companies.
The permit year runs from July 1 to June 30, because the required bond must cover that term. A permit fee applies and is paid through the city's TOPS portal or by mail.
This application is only for establishments that lend money on pledged personal property, buy personal property under an agreement to sell it back at a stipulated price, or buy and resell gold, silver, platinum or other precious metals or gems. Other establishments use the city's separate Secondhand/Precious Material Dealers/Automated Kiosk application. The city's page lists Ordinance 2020-042 among the related ordinances.
Who needs to file Application for Pawnbroker Permit – Albuquerque, NM?
Businesses in Albuquerque that engage in any of these activities must use the Pawnbrokers application, for new permits and renewals:
- lending money on the deposit or pledge of personal property;
- purchasing personal property with an express or implied agreement or understanding to sell it back at a stipulated price;
- purchasing items of gold, silver, platinum or other precious metals or gems and reselling the product. The instructions say Precious Materials Dealers may or may not be covered, and tell you to contact the Planning Department with questions.
If the establishment does not meet those criteria, use the Secondhand/Precious Material Dealers/Automated Kiosk application instead.
The owners, partners or corporate officers are listed on the form and attest to its statements; the person responsible for completing the application signs the penalty-of-perjury certification. Other persons or agents authorized to act for the business are listed in a separate section. Pawnbrokers that accept firearms as security for loans may not employ anyone with a felony conviction, and no owner, partner or corporate officer may have one. Pawn shops may not be located within 1 mile in any direction of a lot containing another pawn shop.
When to file Application for Pawnbroker Permit – Albuquerque, NM
Submit the application whenever you apply for a new pawnbroker permit or renew an existing one; the instructions cover both and give no separate due date for either. The permit term runs from July 1 of the permit year to June 30 of the following year, and the required bond must cover that entire initial or renewal period.
Order matters. The application goes first to APD Property Enforcement, with the complete list of employees at the business site. Zoning Enforcement and the City Clerk's Office act after APD approves. The permit fee is paid once the application has approvals from each department, not before.
New applicants, new locations and businesses that recently began selling autos or trucks also need a Zoning Enforcement Officer's determination under the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO). After the permit is issued, you must notify the City Treasury Division in writing within ten business days of any change in ownership or business agents.
Documents you need
- Complete list of all individuals employed at the business site (the Employee Information List), required before APD approves the application; APD runs a background check on everyone listed.
- Proof of current business registration, required before Zoning Enforcement approves the application; contact Zoning Enforcement for how to submit it.
- Original bond naming the City of Albuquerque as "Obligee", covering July 1 of the permit year through June 30 of the following year, issued by a surety company qualified and licensed to do business in New Mexico; submitted to the City Clerk's Office by mail or in person.
- A copy of the approved application and a copy of the bond, routed or delivered to the Treasury Division once all department approvals are in.
- Original notarized "Sale of Firearms from a Residential Zone" application, submitted to the Planning Department only if your business is involved in the receipt, transport or possession of firearms and the application applies.
How to fill out Application for Pawnbroker Permit – Albuquerque, NM
Confirm this is the right application
Use the Pawnbrokers application only if you lend on pledged personal property, buy with a sell-back agreement, or buy and resell precious metals or gems. Otherwise use the Secondhand/Precious Material Dealers/Automated Kiosk application.
Enter the business information
Fill in Business Name, DBA, Phone, Location Address, Mailing Address (each with City, State and Zip Code), and the Contact Name, Email and Phone.
Complete ownership and registration details
Check Individual, Partnership or Corporation. Enter the Current Business Registration Number, Zoning Category, Official Start Date of Business and NM Gross Receipts Tax Identification Number, and check YES or NO for Business Registration Fee Current.
List owners or corporate officers
For each owner, partner or officer give Name, Phone, Title, % Ownership, Address, Social Security Number/Tax ID Number, Date of Birth and State of Birth. The form has room for three.
List other authorized agents
Answer whether anyone else is authorized to act for the business. If YES, give each person's Name, Phone, Official Capacity, Extent of Authority and Address.
Describe operations and answer the questions
Describe the nature of your business operation, then check YES or NO for firearms and for selling automobiles or trucks. If you answer YES on firearms, the form refers to a separate notarized application for the Planning Department.
Enter bond and insurance details
Check whether the required bond is on file with the City Clerk's Office and, if YES, enter its expiration date. Give the bonding company and insurance company names, phone numbers, agents and addresses.
Complete the Employee Information List
Enter the business name, then each employee's Name, Phone, Address, Social Security Number/Tax ID Number, Date of Birth and State of Birth. The list must be complete before APD approves.
Sign and date the application
The person responsible for completing the application signs and dates the certification under penalty of perjury. Leave the APD, Planning/Zoning Enforcement and City Clerk blocks blank; city staff complete them.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check every entry against your registration and bond, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and send it through the channels under How to submit.
How to submit Application for Pawnbroker Permit – Albuquerque, NM
The application moves through four City of Albuquerque offices in order. Each accepts it electronically or as a hard copy, as noted.
- Step 1, APD Property Enforcement: submit new and renewal applications electronically or by hard copy at 400 Roma Ave NW, (505) 768-2267, with the complete employee list. Mail: APD/Organized Crime Unit, PO Box 1293, Albuquerque, NM, 87103-1293.
- Step 2, Zoning Enforcement: after APD approval the application is routed electronically, or you deliver the hard copy in person to 600 2nd St NW, 1st Floor, (505) 924-3857. Ask them how to submit proof of current business registration.
- Step 3, City Clerk's Office: after APD approval the application is routed electronically, or you deliver the hard copy in person to 600 2nd St NW (7th Floor), (505) 768-4546. Send the original bond by mail or in person. Mail: City Clerk's Office, PO Box 1293, Albuquerque, NM 87103-1293.
- Step 4, Treasury Division: with all approvals, a copy of the approved application and bond is routed electronically or delivered in person to 1 Civic Plaza, 10th Fl. Room 10111, (505) 768-2129. Pay the permit fee online at www.tops.cabq.gov or by mail to Pawn Brokers Application- Treasury Division, PO Box 17, Albuquerque, NM 87103. For a new online account or questions, contact Treasury at [email protected].
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the city's channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the Pawnbrokers application for a business that does not lend on pledged property, buy back at a stipulated price or buy and resell precious metals or gems; the Secondhand/Precious Material Dealers/Automated Kiosk application applies instead.
- Sending the application to APD without the complete list of everyone employed at the business site; APD checks the background of each person listed.
- Submitting a copy of the bond to the City Clerk's Office when an original is required, or a bond that does not name the City of Albuquerque as Obligee or cover the whole July 1 to June 30 term.
- Using a surety company that is not qualified and licensed to do business in New Mexico.
- Applying when the business registration is not current; the registration fee must be paid before the application can be approved.
- Paying the permit fee before the application has its approvals; the form says to remit payment upon approval.
- Mailing Treasury payment materials to PO Box 1293 (APD and City Clerk) instead of Treasury's PO Box 17.
- Employing, or listing as an owner or officer, a person with a felony conviction when the business accepts firearms as security; the form states this is grounds for revocation.
- Not notifying the Treasury Division in writing within ten business days of a change in ownership or business agents.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Albuquerque pawnbroker permit application?
The Application for Pawnbroker Permit is the City of Albuquerque form a pawn business completes to get or renew its pawnbroker permit. It is reviewed in turn by APD Property Enforcement, Zoning Enforcement, the City Clerk's Office and the Treasury Division.
Is this the same as an Albuquerque business license?
No. This form is a pawnbroker permit application. Proof of current business registration is a separate requirement before Zoning Enforcement approves it. If registration is not current, contact Business Registration at (505) 924-3890 or use www.cabq.gov/planning/business-registration-information.
Do I use this form or the secondhand dealers application?
Use the Pawnbrokers application only if you lend on pledged personal property, buy personal property with an agreement to sell it back at a stipulated price, or buy and resell precious metals or gems. If you do not meet those criteria, use the Secondhand/Precious Material Dealers/Automated Kiosk application.
Where do I submit the pawnbroker permit application?
Start with APD Property Enforcement, 400 Roma Ave NW, electronically or by hard copy, or by mail to APD/Organized Crime Unit, PO Box 1293, Albuquerque, NM, 87103-1293. After APD approves, it goes to Zoning Enforcement and the City Clerk's Office, then to the Treasury Division.
Is there a fee, and how do I pay it?
Yes, a permit fee applies. You pay online at www.tops.cabq.gov or by mail to the Treasury Division, PO Box 17, Albuquerque, NM 87103, once the application is approved. For the current amount or a new account, call (505) 768-2129 or email [email protected].
What bond do I need for the pawnbroker permit?
You need an original bond naming the City of Albuquerque as "Obligee", covering July 1 of the permit year through June 30 of the next year, from a surety licensed in New Mexico. Submit it to the City Clerk's Office by mail or in person before the Clerk approves the application.
Who must I list on the employee list?
List every individual employed at the business site. The instructions say the application must include the complete list before APD approves it, and APD runs a background check on each person listed.
Can I fill out the pawnbroker permit application online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is independent of the City of Albuquerque and does not submit the application; you send it through APD, Zoning Enforcement, the City Clerk and Treasury as described above.
Do I have to report changes after the permit is issued?
Yes. By signing the application you agree to notify the City Treasury Division in writing of any change in ownership or business agents within ten business days.
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