Las Vegas runs one of the country's tightest pawn markets. The City of Las Vegas caps pawnbroker licenses by population and is not issuing new ones, so a small set of desks operates under identical Nevada terms. Here is what those terms mean for a loan against gold or a watch.
Most cities license pawnbrokers on demand. Las Vegas does not. Under LVMC 6.60.050 the number of licenses is tied to population, and the City has stated it is not currently issuing new pawnbroker licenses — new applicants must buy an existing license through a change of ownership. The scarcity has a price attached. On October 25, 2021 the city auctioned its 25th pawnbroker license under an ordinance adopted February 5, 2020. The starting bid was $60,000. In an auction lasting three minutes and 34 seconds, SuperPawn won the license for $1.9 million. The next license was set to become available only when the city's population reached 700,000; a city spokesman put the figure at 670,000 as of October 2021.
This matters to a borrower for a simple reason: the desks holding these licenses are established operations, not pop-up storefronts, and they answer to the same statutory rules regardless of which shop you walk into.
Every pawn loan in Las Vegas runs on Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 646, which fixes the numbers a desk may charge:
The 90-day hold is the number to keep in front of you. It is the minimum window you have to repay and reclaim your gold or watch before the collateral can be sold. Read the ticket for the exact maturity and grace terms of your specific loan.
Las Vegas pawn transactions are reported to police daily. Under NRS 646.030, every pawnbroker in an incorporated city must furnish the chief of police, before noon each day, a full and correct transcript of the prior day's transactions. NRS 646.060 makes it a misdemeanor for a pawnbroker to fail to record any material matter, or to make a false entry, in the records required under the chapter. Bring government-issued ID; expect the item and the loan to be logged.
The Strip and much of the metro sit in unincorporated Clark County, a separate jurisdiction from the City of Las Vegas with its own fees. There a pawnshop and pawnbroker license runs $2,245.00 — a $45.00 application fee plus a $2,200.00 annual license fee — and a $10,000 surety bond payable to Clark County is required. County licenses are governed by Clark County Code Chapters 6.24 and 7.12. Wherever the desk sits, the NRS 646 interest cap and 90-day hold still apply.
For the corridor's most public address, the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop from History's "Pawn Stars" is at 713 Las Vegas Blvd. So., Las Vegas, NV 89101, with the shop open daily 10:00 am to 5:30 pm and a pawn window open 24 hours.
We are a discreet asset-backed lending desk. We do not originate loans ourselves; loans are originated by licensed lender partners operating under the Nevada terms above. Any figures shown on this site are general guidance, not a loan offer, and nothing here is a promise of approval. What you actually receive depends on the item, its condition, and the partner's assessment.
If you are weighing a loan against a watch or a gold piece, start with how it works, then read the specifics for watches and gold. If you are deciding between us and a storefront, this comparison lays out the difference. Questions on terms are answered in the FAQ.
Loans are originated by licensed lender partners. Loan offers, terms, rates and final decisions are made by the originating licensed lender at appraisal — figures shown here are general guidance, not loan offers.
Last reviewed August 6, 2026.
We use cookies for essential site functionality. With your consent, we also use analytics and advertising cookies to improve our service. Learn more.