Soliciting & Door-to-Door in Burlington, WI

If you live in Burlington or are thinking about moving there, soliciting & door-to-door are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Burlington has 2 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of soliciting & door-to-door, and some of them might surprise you.

Solicitor Permits

Burlington City Code § 254-1B bars any direct seller from selling door-to-door in the City without first registering under § 254-1E. Registration requires a Clerk-furnished form, a Council-set fee, and a Chief of Police background check completed within 72 hours of referral.

Key details: Registration required before: Any direct sale/solicitation. Background check: Chief of Police, 72-hour window. Fee: Set by Common Council. Approval deadline: 2 business days after investigation. Appeal path: Wis. Stat. §§ 68.07-68.16.

Selling door-to-door without registering under § 254-1E violates § 254-1B. Section 254-6 subjects any Chapter 254 violation to the Chapter 1, § 1-4 forfeiture, five to five hundred dollars for a first offense and up to one thousand dollars for a repeat, in addition to the suspension or revocation of the seller's registration under § 254-1J after notice and a hearing before the Council.

No-Knock Registry

Burlington City Code § 254-1H(1) limits door-to-door selling and soliciting to 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., bars calling on any property posted "No Peddlers" or "No Solicitors," and bars entering a property listed on the City's "do not solicit for commercial sales registry."

Key details: Solicitation hours allowed: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.. Posted-sign rule: "No Peddlers"/"No Solicitors" bars entry. Registry name: Do not solicit for commercial sales registry. Registry update: Weekly, posted on City website. Penalty: Ch.1 §1-4 forfeiture + revocation.

Soliciting outside 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., knocking on a posted "No Solicitors" door, or entering a property on the do-not-solicit registry violates § 254-1H(1). Section 254-6 applies the Chapter 1, § 1-4 forfeiture, five to five hundred dollars for a first offense, and the Council can suspend or revoke the seller's registration under § 254-1J after notice and a hearing.

The Bottom Line

Burlington's soliciting & door-to-door rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Burlington is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Burlington can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.