§ 47–2884.05. License—Issuance; fee; contents; display; transferability; change of place or business.

(a) If the Mayor approves the bond filed by the applicant and the form of the application, and finds after investigation: (1) that the financial responsibility, experience, character, and general fitness of such applicant, and of the members thereof if the applicant is a firm or voluntary association, and of the officers and directors thereof if the applicant is a joint-stock company, incorporated society, or corporation are such as to command the confidence of the community and to warrant the belief that the business of the applicant will be operated honestly, fairly, and efficiently in accordance with the purposes of this part; (2) that permitting such applicant to engage in such business will promote the convenience and advantage of the community; and (3) that the applicant has available for use in such business at the location specified in the application cash capital of at least $20,000, the Mayor shall, upon payment by the applicant of a license fee of $800, issue to the applicant a license to make such loans in accordance with the provisions of this part at the location specified in such application; except that if any such license is issued after the 30th day of April of any year the fee for such license shall be $250. If the Mayor does not so find after investigation he shall notify the applicant thereof and return the bond filed with the application. Within 60 days from the date of filing the application for license, accompanied by the investigation fee and bond required by this part, the Mayor shall either issue or refuse to issue such license, but no applicant shall be denied a license until after a due hearing by the Mayor, at which the applicant shall have a reasonable opportunity to be heard and to produce evidence in support of his application. If the application be denied, the Mayor shall within 20 days thereafter prepare a written decision and findings with respect thereto containing a summary of the evidence and the reasons supporting the denial and forthwith serve upon the applicant a copy thereof.

(b) Each license issued under this part shall state fully the name of the licensee and the place at which the business is to be conducted under such license. Such license shall be kept conspicuously posted in such place of business. No such license shall be transferable or assignable. Not more than 1 place of business shall be maintained under the same license, but the Mayor may issue more than 1 license to the same licensee upon compliance for each such license with all the provisions of this part applicable to the original issuance of licenses. Whenever a licensee shall desire to change his place of business to another location within the District he shall file an application for a new license in accordance with the provisions of § 47-2884.03.

(c) No licensee shall transact such business or make any loan provided for by this part under any other name or at any other place of business than that named in the license.

(Aug. 6, 1956, 70 Stat. 1037, ch. 970, § 5; Sept. 14, 1976, D.C. Law 1-82, title I, § 101(a), 23 DCR 2461; Mar. 12, 2011, D.C. Law 18-315, § 4(b), 57 DCR 12412; Sept. 26, 2012, D.C. Law 19-171, § 302, 59 DCR 6190; Dec. 24, 2013, D.C. Law 20-61, § 7158(b), 60 DCR 12472.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 2-1905.

1973 Ed., § 2-2005.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 18-315, in subsec. (b), substituted “file an application for a new license in accordance with the provisions of § 47-2884.03” for “immediately give written notice thereof to the Mayor. Upon receipt of such notice the Mayor shall attach to the license a statement of the change of location and the date thereof, which shall be authority for the operation of such business under such license at the new location.”

D.C. Law 19-171 enacted this subchapter into law.

The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 20-61 purported to substitute “file an application for a new license in accordance with the provisions of § 47-2884.03” for “immediately give written notice thereof to the Mayor. Upon receipt of such notice the Mayor shall attach to the license a statement of the change of location and the date thereof, which shall be authority for the operation of such business under such license at the new location” in (b), a substitution that had already been made by D.C. Law 18-315.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2(a) of Predatory Pawnbroker Regulation and Community Notification Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-385, April 29, 2010, 57 DCR 3838).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 7158(b) of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-130, July 30, 2013, 60 DCR 11384, 20 DCSTAT 1827).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 7158(b) of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-204, October 17, 2013, 60 DCR 15341, 20 DCSTAT 2311).

Temporary Legislation

Section 2(a) of D.C. Law 18-200 added subsec. (a-1) to read as follows:

“(a-1)(1) A license shall not be issued to an applicant unless:

“(A) At least 30 days prior to the issuance of a license, all Advisory Neighborhood Commissions in the ward where the pawnbroker will be located shall be provided notice that a pawnbroker license application has been submitted to the Mayor; and

“(B) All affected Advisory Neighborhood Commissions have been accorded great weight during deliberations to approve or deny the license application.

“(2) This subsection shall not apply to applications for licensure renewal submitted by any pawnbroker licensed in accordance with this part as of April 1, 2010.”.

Section 4(b) of D.C. Law 18-200 provided that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.

Short Title

Section 7151 of D.C. Law 20-61 provided that Subtitle O of Title VII of the act may be cited as the “Tax Clarification Amendment Act of 2013”.

Editor's Notes

Applicability of D.C. Law 20-61: Section 11001 of D.C. Law 20-61 provided that, except as otherwise provided, the act shall apply as of October 1, 2013.

Change in Government

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the Functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.