Is Door to Door Solicitation Legal?
Is Door to Door Solicitation Legal in Chesterfield?
Door to Door Solicitation
The City's solicitor ordinance requires all individuals going door to door in residential neighborhoods selling items or services to obtain a permit (license) for solicitation from the City. This does not include the placing of fliers for services, etc. on someone's door. A person must actually ring the resident's doorbell or knock on their door in order for the solicitor's permit law to apply to them.
Organizations with a valid 501C3 (not for profit-charitable) are exempt from the solicitors licensing requirement. If they have a copy of documents verifying their organizations 501C3 status they may solicit without a permit from the City.
The hours of solicitation are: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. November through March and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. April through October. Furthermore, solicitors cannot go to any other door than the front door in their solicitation.
The City's solicitor ordinance does not apply to commercial establishments. Salesmen are not required to have a City of Chesterfield solicitors permit in order to sell door to door to Chesterfield businesses.
Street Corner Solicitation (Panhandling)
No person shall stand in or enter upon a roadway for the purpose of soliciting, except from the occupants of PARKED motor vehicles located in the roadway adjacent to a sidewalk if the solicitor is on a sidewalk.