Boston requires door-to-door solicitors and peddlers to obtain a license from the city's Licensing Board under the Boston Municipal Code. Religious and political canvassers are exempt under First Amendment protections. Licensed solicitors must carry and display their permit while soliciting.
Door-to-door commercial solicitation in Boston requires a Hawker and Peddler License from the Boston Licensing Board under the city's municipal code and state law (MGL c.101). Applicants must submit identification, a description of goods or services, and may be subject to a background check. Licensed solicitors must carry their permit at all times and present it upon request by residents or police. Religious organizations, political canvassers, and nonprofit charitable solicitors are generally exempt from licensing requirements under First Amendment protections, though charitable organizations conducting door-to-door fundraising must register with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Division of Non-Profit Organizations. Solicitation is generally prohibited before 9 AM and after 9 PM. Solicitors must respect posted no-soliciting signs and leave immediately when asked by a resident. The city periodically issues alerts about unlicensed solicitors and scams through BPD community notifications.
Soliciting without a license is a misdemeanor under MGL c.101 carrying fines up to $100 for a first offense. Ignoring no-soliciting signs or refusing to leave may result in trespass charges. Aggressive or fraudulent solicitation can result in criminal charges. Unlicensed solicitors may be ordered to cease operations by BPD.
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