Auburn, WA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- ACC 5.20.220
- Background check
- Police chief investigation required
- Order form rule
- Written, duplicate, buyer keeps a copy
- Must state
- Solicitor name, permit number, price
- Exempt
- Charitable, religious, patriotic solicitation
- Max misdemeanor penalty
- $1,000 fine and/or 90 days jail
Summary
Anyone going house to house or place to place selling goods or services in Auburn needs a solicitor's license under ACC 5.20.220, subject to a police chief background check. Every order taken must be written in duplicate, naming the solicitor, their permit number, and the price, with a copy handed to the buyer.
B. License Application – Qualifications – Requirements to Apply. ... 3. Exemptions. This chapter shall not apply to the selling of personal property at wholesale to dealers in such articles or commodities, shall not apply to newsboys, and shall not apply to any organization, association or corporation desiring to solicit, or have solicited in its name, donations of money or property or financial assistance of any kind... C. License Regulations – Order Requirements. All orders taken by licensed solicitors shall be in writing, in duplicate, stating the name of the solicitor, as it appears on the license, the solicitor's permit number as issued under this chapter, the address of both the solicitor and their employer, the terms of the order of agreement, and the amount of money or checks paid to the solicitor. One copy of such order or agreement shall be given to the purchaser.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 7023, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
220 defines a solicitor as anyone who sells, trades or takes orders for goods, magazines, periodicals or other personal property at retail by going house to house, place to place, or by indiscriminately approaching individuals, including street vendors, sample sales and future-delivery contracts. A "master solicitor" is a person or firm that employs agents to solicit on its behalf. Licensing runs through the chief of police, who investigates applicants through regular channels; an applicant who wants that investigation expedited by phone or telegram must pay the cost of those toll calls up front.
060's temporary use permit coordination requirements. 030(E). Once licensed, every order a solicitor takes must be written in duplicate and must state the solicitor's name exactly as it appears on the license, the solicitor's permit number, the address of both the solicitor and their employer, the terms of the agreement, and the amount of money or checks paid; the purchaser keeps one copy.
Violations & Fines
Solicitor licenses fall under the general Chapter 5.20 licensing scheme: the police chief can revoke a license immediately under ACC 5.20.070 if continued operation would be detrimental to public peace, health or welfare, with a 15-day appeal to the director of community development and public works and 15 more to the hearing examiner. Under ACC 5.20.080 and ACC 5.15.110, violations of the chapter are a civil infraction/penalty under Chapter 1.25 ACC or a misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a door-to-door salesperson need a permit in Auburn?
What must be on a written sales order from a licensed solicitor?
Are charities exempt from Auburn's solicitor license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
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