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

Section 437-1A of the Allentown Code states that "No solicitor as defined in § 437-2 shall engage in the business of soliciting within the corporate limits of the City without first obtaining a license," with narrow exceptions for employees of firms already holding a Chapter 570 business privilege license and for salesmen or agents selling to retail, wholesale or industrial establishments rather than door-to-door to residents. Section 437-1B sets the citywide hours: "No solicitor shall engage in the business of soliciting or canvassing before 9:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m." The chapter defines a solicitor broadly under § 437-2 as anyone traveling house to house selling goods, taking orders for future delivery, or collecting advance payments, and separately defines a canvasser, who conducts surveys, seeks petition signatures, or advances religious or political causes door to door and is exempt from the licensing requirement.

Applicants file a written application with the Department of Finance under § 437-3 disclosing their identity, home and local address, vehicle registration, employer, the goods or services offered, and any past criminal or ordinance convictions, along with a nonrefundable $50 application fee under § 437-5. The Chief of Police or a designee investigates the applicant's business responsibility and moral character under § 437-4 before Finance issues the license, which must be carried and shown to any resident or officer on request under §§ 437-6 and 437-7.