Complete Pawn Software
for North & South Dakota

Pawnbroker Pawn Shop Software is a full-featured Windows-based program that handles pawns, buy-outs, layaway, consignment, check cashing, payday loans, and title loans — all with a one-time payment starting at $695. No monthly fees. No mandatory support contracts. No per-report charges to LEADS or police departments.

The software installs directly on your PC or network. No Internet connection is required to process transactions, making it reliable even when your connection goes down. All customer records, item photos, and transaction history are stored locally on your own computers — not in the cloud.

Unlike most states, neither North Dakota nor South Dakota has a comprehensive state-level pawnbroker regulatory code. Pawn shops in the Dakotas are licensed and regulated by cities, counties, and municipalities. PPSS adapts to local requirements — no monthly fees, no per-report charges, and no forced state interest caps.

PPSS is a recordkeeping tool. It does not interpret Dakota law, determine compliance status, or enforce regulations. You are solely responsible for configuring the software to align with your legal obligations and for submitting correct information to local authorities.

Pawnbroker Pawn Shop Software Dakota Region Interface
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Save $4,800+ Over Three Years
vs. Web-Based Pawn Software

Most pawn software vendors charge $200–$600/month in mandatory fees. That's $7,200–$21,600 over three years — and you never own anything.

PPSS is $695 once. You own it. No one can turn it off. No one can raise your monthly rate.

Compare us to: Bravo, HiTech, PawnMaster, Pawndex. We're 80–90% less expensive over time.

1 Software updates: $295/year or $737 once.

North Dakota

NDCC §47-14-09 — Usury Exemption for Licensed Pawnbrokers

N.D. Cent. Code §47-14-09 exempts licensed pawnbrokers from state usury rate limitations. This allows pawn shops to establish their own interest rates and service fees by agreement with the pawnor.

PPSS supports fully configurable interest rates. No hard-coded state caps because North Dakota does not impose them. Your shop sets the rates that work for your market; the software calculates them accurately and consistently.

NDAC §81-04.1-04-34 — Sales Tax on Forfeited Property

N.D. Admin Code §81-04.1-04-34 addresses the tax treatment of unredeemed pawns: When a customer does not redeem property within the statutory period, title passes to the pawnbroker, who must collect and remit sales tax when the item is sold at retail.

PPSS includes configurable sales tax fields. Track tax-exempt redemptions versus taxable retail sales of forfeited inventory.

2013 Session Laws — Pawnbroker Transaction Limit and Usury Exemption

2013 N.D. Session Laws, Chapter 348 addressed pawnbroker transaction limits and the usury exemption. North Dakota continues to defer to local regulation rather than creating a comprehensive state pawnbroker code.

Fargo Municipal Code — Article 25-10 Pawnbrokers

Fargo City Code §25-1000 et seq. establishes comprehensive local regulation:

  • Fixed premises and license required: No person shall engage in business as a pawnbroker without a fixed premises and a valid license. A separate license is required for each place of business. Unlicensed operation is a class B misdemeanor.
  • $5,000 bond or dedicated account: Every applicant must submit a $5,000 bond with sufficient sureties, or alternatively provide proof of a separate dedicated account with a balance of $5,000. Bond cancellation requires 30 days written notice to the chief of police.
  • LEADS reporting required: Fargo code establishes the required use of the LEADS system for timely collection and sharing of transaction information. Applicants must agree to provide records in electronic format as required by the police department.
  • Reportable transactions: Every transaction in which merchandise is received through pawn, purchase, consignment, or trade, or for which a unique transaction number is generated, is reportable — with limited exceptions for bulk purchases from established merchants.
  • License display: License must be prominently displayed during business hours. Location changes require notification to city auditor and chief of police with no additional fee.

PPSS is a recordkeeping tool. The software does not track bonds, licenses, or renewal dates. You are responsible for maintaining your $5,000 bond and valid license with the city. PPSS can help organize transaction records for LEADS reporting.

Wahpeton — Division 1, Article IX, Chapter 22

Wahpeton City Code §22-377 et seq. includes several distinctive requirements:

  • 7-day hold period: Pawnbroker to wait seven days to sell property (§22-384).
  • Parental consent for minors: Transaction with minors requires parental consent (§22-382).
  • Record copy to chief of police: Record of goods pawned or consigned; copy to chief of police (§22-380).
  • When description of property necessary: Specific description requirements (§22-381).

PPSS can be configured to help track hold periods and store parental consent documents. You are responsible for ensuring compliance with Wahpeton's 7-day hold and obtaining proper parental consent.

Wahpeton's 7-day hold period and explicit parental consent requirement are unique to this jurisdiction.

North Dakota — Local Licensing Summary

North Dakota pawnbrokers are licensed at the municipal level. No state-level pawnbroker license exists. You must obtain and maintain licenses from each city where you operate.

South Dakota

SDCL §§9-34-8 & 7-18-29 — Municipal and County Authority

S.D. Codified Laws §9-34-8 grants municipalities the power to license, tax, regulate, or prohibit pawnbrokers. §7-18-29 grants identical authority to county commissions.

No state-level pawnbroker license exists. All licensing authority is delegated to local jurisdictions.

SDCL §37-16-3 — Class 1 Misdemeanor for Unlicensed Operation

S.D. Codified Laws §37-16-3: Any person who carries on the business of a pawnbroker except by authority of a license from a municipal corporation or county commission is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

SDCL §10-45-83 — Pawnbrokers Not Eligible for Sales Tax Exemption

S.D. Codified Laws §10-45-83: The gross receipts from interest paid to any pawnbroker are not exempt from state sales tax. For purposes of this section, a pawnbroker is any person engaged in the business of lending money who accepts possession of tangible personal property or any product transferred electronically as security for the loan.

PPSS supports taxable interest configuration. Apply sales tax to interest income if your local jurisdiction requires it.

SD ARSD 64:06:02:50 — Sales Tax on Forfeited Property

S.D. Admin. R. 64:06:02:50: If property is redeemed within a specified time, sales tax applies to any commission, storage fees, or other similar charges made by the pawnbroker. If payment is not made within the specified time, the property is forfeited and title passes to the pawnbroker; if the pawnbroker thereafter sells the property at retail, the gross receipts are subject to sales tax.

Rapid City — Chapter 5.36 Pawnbrokers, Secondhand Dealers, and Gems and Precious Metals Dealers

Rapid City Municipal Code §5.36.010 et seq. establishes detailed local requirements:

  • License fee: $50 payable in advance.
  • License term: 24 months from date of issuance.
  • License required: Unlawful to engage in business as pawnbroker, secondhand dealer, or gems/precious metals dealer without license from city's Finance Office. Each day of operation without valid license constitutes separate offense.
  • Fixed premises required: Licensee must maintain a fixed premises where business is conducted. Location changes require notification to Finance Office with no additional fee.
  • License display: License must be on display in conspicuous place during business hours.
  • Criminal history: Applicants must provide fingerprints for criminal background history search. No license shall be issued to any person who within the preceding 5 years has received either 1 felony-class conviction for a crime of theft or dishonesty, drug-related offense, weapons offense, crime of violence, or 3 misdemeanor-class convictions for crimes of theft or dishonesty.
  • Top 5 financial interest disclosure: Each individual with a top 5 financial interest must sign application and be qualified; if any applicant is unqualified, entire business license shall be denied.

PPSS is a recordkeeping tool only. The software does not track licenses, criminal history, or financial interest disclosures. You are solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining your Rapid City license and complying with all application requirements.

Rapid City's 24-month license term, $50 flat fee, and explicit top-5 financial interest disclosure requirement are unique to this jurisdiction.

South Dakota — Local Licensing Summary

South Dakota pawnbrokers are licensed exclusively at the municipal or county level. You must obtain licenses from each jurisdiction where you operate and comply with their specific requirements.

Shared Regional Characteristics

No State-Mandated Minimum Holding Period

Unlike Minnesota (30 days), Iowa (30 days), Nebraska (30 days), or Montana (90 days), neither North Dakota nor South Dakota imposes a statutory minimum holding period before forfeiture.

PPSS allows you to set your own shop policy — 7 days (Wahpeton), 30 days, 45 days, 60 days, or custom. You are responsible for configuring the hold period that matches your local requirements.

No State-Mandated Interest Caps

North Dakota explicitly exempts licensed pawnbrokers from state usury caps (NDCC §47-14-09). South Dakota delegates rate regulation to municipalities and counties, many of which do not impose specific caps.

PPSS does not force Dakota pawnbrokers into other states' interest rate structures. No Illinois-style 20% caps. No Virginia-style tiered rates. Your rates, your market, your software. You are responsible for setting rates that comply with any applicable local ordinances.

Multi-Jurisdiction License Tracking

Because both states license exclusively at the local level, pawnbrokers operating in multiple cities — or in both Dakotas — must maintain separate licenses with different terms, fees, bonds, and renewal dates.

PPSS does not track licenses or renewals. You are responsible for maintaining current licenses in each jurisdiction where you operate. The software can store notes and documents, but compliance is your responsibility.

Peace Garden Pawn, Grand Forks, ND

"North Dakota exempts us from usury caps. PPSS doesn't force us to use some other state's rates. We set our own terms, the software calculates correctly, and our Fargo PD reports go out electronically with no per-report fees."

— Peace Garden Pawn, Grand Forks, ND

Wahpeton Pawn & Jewelry, Wahpeton, ND

"Wahpeton requires a 7-day hold. PPSS has a built-in hold timer and we attach the signed parental consent form right to the transaction record. Our police reporting is clean and our city inspector was impressed."

— Wahpeton Pawn & Jewelry, Wahpeton, ND

Three Editions — One Philosophy: Pay Once, Own It

All editions include LEADS/police reporting capability and plain-paper pawn ticket printing. Choose the level that fits your shop.

Deluxe Edition

$695 once
Pawns, buy-outs, reminders, forfeits, payments, redemptions. Data export capability for police reporting. Plain paper pawn tickets. Configurable interest rates — no forced state caps. Suitable for smaller Dakota shops or start-ups.

Diamond Edition

$895 once
Adds employee permissions, network support, thermal label printing, cash drawer integration, barcode scanning. For multi-user shops.

24karat Edition

$995 once
Adds driver's license scanning, fingerprint capture, signature capture, webcam/microscope imaging, electronic gun logs. Peripheral integration for shops that choose these tools.

Additional computers for the same shop location: $399 each.

Dakota LEADS & Police Reporting

Electronic transmission included — no per-report fees. Many web-based pawn systems charge per report. PPSS includes the ability to generate and send electronic reports to LEADS Online and Dakota police departments at no additional cost.

The software can export transaction data in formats commonly used by:

  • Fargo Police Department (LEADS required by city code)
  • Wahpeton Police Department (§22-380 record copy)
  • Grand Forks Police Department
  • Bismarck Police Department
  • Minot Police Department
  • Rapid City Police Department
  • Sioux Falls Police Department
  • Aberdeen Police Department
  • Brookings Police Department
  • All North and South Dakota municipalities using LEADS Online

PPSS and reporting: The software can export transaction data in delimited text formats. You are responsible for configuring the export to match your local agency's current requirements. PPSS does not automatically format exports for any specific Dakota agency; you must test and validate.

Military Lending Act — 36% APR Cap

The federal Military Lending Act (MLA) applies to pawn transactions with covered borrowers. The APR may not exceed 36%.

Verification of covered status is performed using the DMDC portal. Pawnbrokers must check the borrower's status at or before the transaction and retain proof of verification.

PPSS does not automatically verify MLA status, calculate APR, or cap interest rates. You may manually record DMDC confirmation numbers in transaction notes and attach screenshots or PDFs to the customer record. Interest rates are entered by you; the software performs arithmetic but does not enforce compliance.

Hardware Compatible with PPSS

PPSS works with common off-the-shelf hardware. No proprietary equipment required.

  • Printers: Any Windows printer (inkjet, laser). Thermal label printers from Zebra, Dymo, TSC, Godex, and compatible generics.
  • Scanners: Driver's license scanners (1D/2D barcode). TWAIN-compatible document scanners.
  • Fingerprint: SecuGen biometric devices (24karat edition).
  • Cash Drawers: POS-X, Star, Epson, or generic drawers with RJ11 interface.
  • Signature Pads: Topaz Systems models.
  • Cameras: USB webcams, microscope cameras, or IP cameras for item and customer imaging.

View complete hardware compatibility list

Try PPSS Free — No Credit Card Required

The full-featured demo includes all transaction types, ticket printing, and export tools. Install it in under two minutes. If you like it, pay once. If not, uninstall it. No obligation, no sales call.

Why Some Dakota Pawn Shops Choose PPSS

1. No monthly fees. You pay once. No one can raise your price or turn off your access.

2. Your data is stored locally. Customer records, scanned IDs, item photos, and transaction history remain on your own computers. You control backup, retention, and deletion.

3. Works without internet. PPSS does not require cloud connectivity to process pawns or print tickets. Internet is only needed for electronic reporting or DMDC lookup.

4. No forced state interest caps. Configure your own rates. North Dakota explicitly exempts you from usury limits; South Dakota delegates rate regulation to localities. You set the rates that work for your market.

5. Flexible reporting. Export tools help you generate reports in the format your local agency requires. PPSS can automatically transmit to LEADS Online when configured.

6. No per-report fees. We do not charge for each export or submission. Municipal license fees and any third-party reporting fees are separate.

Own Your Software — No Subscription

Dakota pawnbrokers have used PPSS since 2005. One payment, perpetual license.

Download Free Dakotas Demo