Kingsport's Code of Ordinances Chapter 70 (Peddlers and Solicitors) regulates door-to-door commercial solicitation and requires a city permit. Religious, charitable, and political solicitation is exempt from the commercial permit but must respect posted 'No Soliciting' signs. Kingsport has not adopted a separate do-not-knock registry, so signs are the homeowner's primary tool. Hours, permit requirements, and bonding are administered by the Kingsport Police Department.
Kingsport Code Chapter 70 (Peddlers and Solicitors) governs commercial canvassing within city limits. Applicants must complete a permit application with the City Recorder, provide identification, and pass a background check before receiving a permit. Permits must be carried on the person and shown on request. Operating hours are typically dawn-to-dusk and exclude Sundays and federal holidays. Solicitation is prohibited at any property posted with a 'No Soliciting' or 'No Trespassing' sign — entering past such a sign can be enforced as criminal trespass under T.C.A. § 39-14-405. Charitable, political, and religious activities are not 'commercial solicitation' under Chapter 70 and are exempt from the permit requirement, but they still must respect posted no-solicitation signs and may be cited for trespass. Report violations to Kingsport Police non-emergency at 423-229-9429.
Soliciting without a permit, refusing to display a valid permit, soliciting at posted properties, or operating outside permitted hours is a Class C municipal violation punishable by fines under the city's general penalty schedule. Continued violations may result in permit revocation and trespass charges.
See how Kingsport's no-knock registry rules stack up against other locations.
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