Signs, notices and pawn tickets - second-hand dealer and pawnbroker obligations

Signs required by law

All second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers must display a:

current registration certificate, or a copy of this certificate, in a prominent place at each place where the business is conducted. Failure to comply carries a maximum fine of 60 penalty units.
Notice of stolen goods (PDF, 6KB) in a prominent place at each business premises so that the notice is clearly visible to the public. Failure to comply carries a maximum fine of 60 penalty units.

You must also display a Notice of pawnbroker charges (PDF, 7KB) in a prominent place, in or outside each business premises. It must:

be clearly visible to the public from outside the premises
show the maximum amount charged weekly or monthly, or any other period normally used by the pawnbroker on a pawn transaction
state that in special circumstances a higher amount may be charged
state the charge in dollar amounts, and not as a percentage rate.

Failure to comply carries a maximum fine of 20 penalty units.

The notices referred to above are available on Fees and forms – second-hand dealers and pawnbrokers.

Please note: by printing and using our notices you will meet the wording and font requirements specified under law. It is important that you comply with these requirements.

Notices given to a person who pawns goods

You must give the following notices to a person who pawns goods:

a pawn ticket
a Schedule 3 (Second-Hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers (General, Exemption and Record-Keeping) Regulations 2018) notice – What are my rights when I pawn goods? (PDF, 39KB) - which sets out the customer’s and pawnbroker’s rights and obligations
a notice of the charge for the transaction – Notice of Pawnbrokers’ Charges (PDF, 7KB).

Failing to give any of these is an offence which carries a maximum fine of 20 penalty units.

Pawn ticket requirements

A pawn ticket must include the:

name and address of the pawnbroker
full name and address of the person the goods are received from
date of the loan
amount loaned
description of the goods pawned
number of the pawn transaction
pawnbroker's charge
period of the loan, and
amount(s) paid and date(s) of payment.

The ticket must be updated each time a payment is made.

Lost pawn ticket

You must issue a duplicate ticket if a customer produces a statutory declaration that their ticket has been lost or stolen, and provides proof of identity. It is an offence to charge for a replacement ticket.

For more information on the identity requirements for people selling or pawning goods, view Evidence of identity.