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Baytown, TX Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

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

Key Facts

License required
Yes, before any itinerant sale (Sec. 74-61)
Application fee
$15.00 nonrefundable
Bond required
$1,000.00 surety bond
License term
90 consecutive calendar days
Transferable
No (Sec. 74-70)
Appeal window
10 days after denial/revocation
Minimum fine, unlicensed
$200.00 per Sec. 74-30

Summary

Baytown requires anyone acting as an itinerant merchant, house-to-house sellers, vehicle vendors, or short-stay solicitors, to obtain a license from the director before selling. Sec. 74-61 makes unlicensed activity unlawful, and the license costs a $15.00 nonrefundable fee plus a $1,000.00 bond, is valid 90 days, and cannot be transferred to anyone else.

Sec. 74-61. - Required. (a)Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, it shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any activity of an itinerant merchant described in section 74-26 without having applied for and obtained a license issued by the director... Sec. 74-63. - Fee; bond. ...the applicant shall file with the city a nonrefundable fee in the amount of $15.00... The bond shall be in the sum of $1,000.00 and conditioned for the final delivery of goods, merchandise, or service... Sec. 74-69. - Duration. Itinerant merchant license. All itinerant merchant licenses issued under this division shall be valid from the date shown thereon for a period of 90 consecutive calendar days, unless sooner revoked as provided in this division.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 83 Update 2).

Full Breakdown

Chapter 74, Article II, Division 2 of the Baytown Code of Ordinances sets the licensing scheme for itinerant merchants. Sec. 74-61(a) makes it unlawful to engage in itinerant-merchant activity described in Sec. 74-26 without a license issued by the director, though Sec. 74-61(b) exempts registered participants in official city-sponsored events. Sec. 74-62 requires a written, notarized application disclosing the applicant's name and address, the kind of goods or services sold, corporate details if applicable, the employer's certifying letter, two one-inch photographs, and a tax identification number.

Sec. 00 bond covering all of them. Sec. 74-64 requires the license to show the applicant's name, address, photograph, and issue date. Sec. 74-65 directs the director to issue the license once the fee is paid and bond posted. Sec. 74-66 lets the director revoke a license for violating the article, violating other city ordinances or state law connected to the solicitation or debt collection, fraud or misrepresentation in the application, or conducting the business as a breach of the peace or menace to public health, safety, or welfare.

Sec. 74-67 gives a denied or revoked applicant ten days to file a written appeal with the director, with a city council hearing held within 30 days and a written, final decision within ten days after that. Sec. 74-68 requires the license to be prominently displayed on the merchant's person at all times sales are being made. Sec. 74-69 fixes the license term at 90 consecutive calendar days, and Sec. 74-70 bars transferring the license to any other person.

Violations & Fines

Selling as an itinerant merchant without the Sec. 74-61 license, or failing to display it under Sec. 74-68, is prosecuted under Sec. 74-30's penalty scheme: a conviction draws a fine of at least $200.00, and every separate sale, offer, or order taken while unlicensed counts as its own offense. The director may also revoke an existing license under Sec. 74-66 for fraud, ordinance violations, or conduct breaching the peace, subject to a ten-day appeal window under Sec. 74-67.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Baytown solicitor's license cost?
Sec. 74-63 sets a nonrefundable $15.00 application fee, the same amount charged to replace a lost license. Applicants must also post a $1,000.00 surety bond conditioned on delivering ordered goods and covering customer defects discovered within 30 days of delivery. An applicant using multiple agents or employees needs only one $1,000.00 bond to cover all of them.
How long does a Baytown itinerant merchant license last?
Sec. 74-69 fixes the term at 90 consecutive calendar days from the issue date shown on the license, unless the director revokes it sooner under Sec. 74-66. Sec. 74-70 also bars transferring the license to another person, so each seller working the city must hold their own current license.
Can Baytown revoke my solicitor's license, and can I appeal?
Yes. Sec. 74-66 lets the director revoke a license for violating the article or other law connected to the solicitation, fraud or misrepresentation in the application, or conduct amounting to a breach of the peace. Sec. 74-67 gives you ten days to file a written appeal with the director, and the city council must hold a hearing within 30 days and issue a final written decision within ten days after that.
What must I submit with my Baytown solicitor license application?
Sec. 74-62 requires a sworn written application stating your name, address, and principal place of business; a description of the goods or service sold; corporate details and registered agent if you are incorporated; two one-inch photographs; an employer's certifying letter if you work for another company; your tax identification number; and the fee and bond required by Sec. 74-63.

Sources & Official References

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