City of Detroit pawnbroker bonds.
$100 flat. Five minutes.
The City of Detroit requires every pawnbroker to file a $3,000 bond as a condition of the city license, processed through the Consumer Affairs Business License Center. Ours is $100 flat, issued instantly — the application collects no credit information.
Trusted by industry leaders
Three steps. One sitting.
License bonds are the simplest thing in surety. Here's the entire process:
Apply online
Business details and an effective date. That is the application — no financials, no credit section.
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.
File with your Detroit license
Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to file through the Detroit Business License Center (eLAPS). Wet-ink original mailed on request.
What it is and who needs it.
What the bond actually guarantees
The City of Detroit licenses pawnbrokers — those who lend against personal property left as collateral — and conditions the license on a $3,000 surety bond. The bond is a consumer-protection guarantee that you will follow Detroit's pawnbroking rules and deal fairly with the people who pledge property to you.
It is a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety, and the City of Detroit together with harmed customers (the protected parties). If a pawnbroker mishandles a pledge, violates redemption rules, or otherwise breaks the licensing law, the harmed party can recover against the bond.
It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. The bond must stay active for the life of your license, so we track it and send renewal notices 60 and 30 days out.
You need this bond if you're
Five minutes. The whole thing.
These are the actual issuing fields — the application has no credit section, and most applicants are approved instantly.
Start the application →Common questions.
If yours isn't here, the bond team can usually answer within the hour.
How much is the City of Detroit pawnbroker bond? ▾
Do I pay the $3,000? ▾
Who requires this bond? ▾
Is there a credit check? ▾
Where do I file it? ▾
Other Michigan bonds.
Finish your Detroit license checklist today.
$100 flat, five-minute application, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.