KY pawnbroker bonds.
$100 flat.

Kentucky requires every licensed pawnbroker to file a $1,000 bond with the city or county that granted the license, under KRS 226.020. Our carrier's rate book sets the premium for this bond at $100 flat — no quote round-trip, and license bonds like this issue instantly.

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Required under KRS 226.020 for every city- or county-licensed Kentucky pawnbroker

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Fixed $1,000 penal sum — set by statute, the same for every pawnbroker

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$100 flat — the price you see is the checkout price, with multi-year terms available

A-ratedA.M. Best carriersInstantunderwriting process1–3 yrterms available

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How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

License bonds are the simplest thing in surety. Here's the entire process:

NOW · ONLINE

Apply online

Business details and an effective date. That's the application — no financials, no credit section, no follow-up scavenger hunt.

MINUTES, USUALLY

Pay & e-sign

License bonds like this are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase. At most, 1–2 business days.

SAME DAY

File with your city or county

Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to file with the city or county that grants your pawnbroker license. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the bond actually guarantees

Kentucky licenses pawnbrokers at the city or county level, and KRS 226.020 conditions that license on a $1,000 surety bond running to the licensing city or county. The bond is a compliance guarantee: it stands behind your obligation to observe KRS 226.030 to 226.050 and the local ordinances governing how you run the pawn business.

It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier standing behind you, and the city or county that licenses you (the obligee), with your pledgors as the protected parties. If a pawnbroker violates the statute — mishandling pledged goods or a customer's money — the harmed party can recover against the bond.

The bond must stay active for the life of your license — it's filed annually with your license. Let it lapse and the city or county can pull the license, so we track it and notify you 60 and 30 days out. It is not insurance for you: if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety.

KRS 226.020Kentucky Revised Statutes 226.020 requires every person granted a city or county license to carry on the business of a pawnbroker to annually enter into a bond to the city or county, with good and sufficient surety, in the penal sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000). The bond is conditioned that the pawnbroker will observe the provisions of KRS 226.030 to 226.050 and the ordinances and laws in force in the city or county. The bond is filed with the licensing city or county, not the Commonwealth.

You need this bond if you're

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Applying for a city or county pawnbroker license — the bond is filed with your application

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Renewing your pawnbroker license — KRS 226.020 requires the bond annually

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Opening a pawn shop in a Kentucky city or county that licenses pawnbrokers

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Replacing a non-renewed bond your surety dropped before your license term ends

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual issuing fields — the application collects no credit information for this bond.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the Kentucky pawnbroker bond?The premium is $100 flat, one-time. The bond amount is a fixed $1,000 set by KRS 226.020, but the price you pay is set by our carrier's rate book at $100 for every pawnbroker. There is no quote process — the price you see is the checkout price.

Do I pay the $1,000?No. You pay $100. The $1,000 is the surety's maximum liability if a valid claim is made against the bond — it's not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.

Who do I file the bond with?With the city or county that grants your pawnbroker license. Under KRS 226.020 the bond runs to that local government, not to the Commonwealth — Kentucky licenses pawnbrokers at the city or county level.

Is there a credit check?The application collects no credit section for this bond, and most applications approve instantly. If a check were ever needed, it would be a soft pull only — never a hard inquiry, no impact on your score.

When does it renew?KRS 226.020 requires the bond annually, and it must stay active for as long as you hold the license. You can buy a 1, 2, or 3-year term; we send renewal notices 60 and 30 days out, with autopay available, so your license never lapses over a missed email.

Related bonds

Other Kentucky bonds.

Finish your pawnbroker license checklist today.

$100 flat, no credit review, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.

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Your price$100

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