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Abington, PA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
§ 118-7
Permit issuer
Abington Township Police Department
Monthly permit fee
$200 per solicitor
Background-check fee
$10
Hours allowed
9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Maximum penalty
Fine $100-$300 or 90 days jail

Summary

Anyone who wants to go door-to-door selling goods or taking orders in Abington Township must first get an individual permit from the Abington Township Police Department under Code § 118-7. Each solicitor pays a $10 records fee plus a $200-per-month permit fee, and organizations cannot cover multiple solicitors under one permit. Soliciting without the permit is a summary offense under § 118-13.

Any person or organization intending to engage or to cause persons to engage in the activity of door-to-door solicitation, as defined in this article, prior to commencing such activity shall obtain a permit from the Abington Township Police Department. In the case of an organization, each person engaging in door-to-door solicitation shall be required to obtain an individual permit; the organization may not simply obtain one permit applicable to all persons engaging in door-to-door solicitation on its behalf. ... The permit fee for each person engaging in door-to-door solicitation shall be $200 per month for each month or fractional part thereof during which the door-to-door solicitation is continued.

Full Breakdown

Township Code § 118-7A, adopted by Ordinance No. 2040 in 2013, requires any person or organization intending to engage in "door-to-door solicitation" to obtain a permit from the Abington Township Police Department before starting, and it requires each individual solicitor working for an organization to hold their own permit rather than letting the organization obtain one blanket permit. Applicants must disclose the identity and current address of every solicitor who will work under the permit, under penalty of the false-statement law at 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 4904, and must acknowledge the terms of the § 118-11 "No Solicitation" registry before the permit issues.

Section 118-7D requires the Police Department to run a Pennsylvania State Police criminal history check on each applicant, who pays a $10 fee for that check (or can submit their own record). Section 118-7E sets the permit fee itself at $200 per month or any fractional part of a month the solicitation continues. Section 118-7F exempts minors under 18 delivering newspapers, greeting cards or candy, Scouts selling cookies, statutory "canvassers," and bona fide candidates for elective office. Permits must be carried at all times and shown to police or anyone the solicitor calls on, under § 118-7B, and § 118-8 separately bars any door-to-door solicitation before 9:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.

Violations & Fines

Engaging in door-to-door solicitation without the § 118-7 permit is a violation of Chapter 118, Article II, enforced under § 118-13. Conviction before a District Justice brings a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $300, imprisonment of up to 90 days, or both, and each day of continued violation counts as a separate offense. A permit can also be denied or revoked under § 118-12 for a prior violation, a disqualifying theft, fraud or felony conviction, or entering a posted or registered "No Solicitation" property.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to sell door-to-door in Abington Township?
Yes. Code § 118-7A requires anyone engaging in door-to-door solicitation to get an individual permit from the Abington Township Police Department first, and every solicitor working for an organization needs their own permit rather than sharing one issued to the group.
How much does an Abington door-to-door solicitor permit cost?
Section 118-7E sets the fee at $200 per month or any part of a month the solicitation continues, on top of a separate $10 fee under § 118-7D for the Police Department to obtain the applicant's Pennsylvania State Police criminal history record.
Who is exempt from Abington's door-to-door solicitation permit?
Section 118-7F exempts minors under 18 delivering newspapers, greeting cards or candy, Scouts selling cookies, people who meet the article's separate "canvasser" definition, and bona fide candidates for elective office from the permit requirement entirely.
Are there hours when door-to-door solicitation is banned regardless of permit?
Yes. Section 118-8 bars any door-to-door solicitation or canvassing before 9:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. prevailing time in Abington Township, and that time limit applies even to someone who already holds a valid permit issued under § 118-7.

Sources & Official References

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