Albemarle County, VA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Before knocking on a single door in Albemarle County outside Charlottesville and Scottsville, a peddler or solicitor must register with the Chief of Police under County Code § 12-302, supplying name, local and permanent addresses, age, weight, height, hair and eye color, the goods or services offered, the employer or organization represented, any prior felony or misdemeanor conviction, and the license plate of the vehicle used while soliciting. Once that information is on file and the applicant has obtained the required Albemarle County business license and paid the associated business license taxes, County Code § 12-303 directs the Chief to issue a permit unless the applicant has a felony or moral-turpitude conviction within the past ten years, more than one prior misdemeanor, a conviction tied to selling, peddling or soliciting, a fraud conviction, or has made a false statement on the application.

A denied applicant is entitled to a written statement of the reasons on request. An issued permit runs for one year from the date of issuance, must be carried at all times while soliciting, and must be shown to anyone who asks to see it. 00, paid to the Chief of Police when the application is filed and non-refundable regardless of outcome. County Code § 12-305 separately bars entering a residential property under false pretenses, remaining after being told to leave, soliciting a home displaying a No Soliciting sign, soliciting without a permit, or giving false information on the application.

Certain groups are exempt from registering at all under § 12-301, including farmers selling their own produce, wholesale salespersons, civic or charitable volunteers with organizational identification, and students soliciting for a school-sponsored activity.