Brentwood, CA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit Required
- Commercial solicitor permit required
- Background Check
- Background check by Police Department
- Hours 9
- Hours 9 AM to 8 PM
- Soliciting Signs
- No Soliciting signs must be honored
- Commercial
- Non-commercial canvassing permit-exempt
Summary
Door-to-door commercial solicitors in Brentwood must obtain a Solicitor Permit from the Police Department and carry photo ID while soliciting. Solicitation hours are limited to 9 AM to 8 PM. Non-commercial canvassing (political, religious, charitable) is protected by the First Amendment and does not require a permit.
602. Except as provided in subdivisions (u), (v), and (x), and Section 602.8, a person who willfully commits a trespass by any of the following acts is guilty of a misdemeanor: (a) Cutting down, destroying, or injuring any kind of wood or timber standing or growing upon the lands of another. (b) Carrying away any kind of wood or timber lying on those lands. (c) Maliciously injuring or severing from the freehold of another anything attached to it, or its produce. (d) Digging, taking, or carrying away from a lot situated within the limits of an incorporated city, without the license of the owner or legal occupant, any earth, soil, or stone.
Full Breakdown
28 (or its equivalent solicitor chapter) requires commercial door-to-door solicitors to register with the Brentwood Police Department, submit to a background check, and obtain a Solicitor or Peddler Permit before going door-to-door within the city. Permit fees typically run 50 to 100 dollars per solicitor, with permits valid for a limited period (often 90 days to 1 year). Solicitors must carry the permit visibly while working and present it on request from any resident or officer. Solicitation is permitted only between 9 AM and 8 PM (some cities use sunset as the cutoff).
A property owner or resident may post a "No Soliciting" sign at the main entrance, and solicitors must respect it; ignoring such a sign is an infraction and may also support a criminal trespass charge under Penal Code 602. Non-commercial solicitation, including political canvassing, religious witnessing, charitable fundraising by recognized non-profits, and petition circulation, is protected by the First Amendment under Watchtower Bible & Tract Society v. Village of Stratton (2002), and cities cannot require permits for these activities. However, even non-commercial canvassers must respect No Soliciting signs and time-of-day restrictions that are content-neutral.
Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and school fundraisers are typically treated as charitable and exempt from commercial permit requirements. Complaints about aggressive or unregistered solicitors can be reported to Brentwood Police.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I report a suspicious solicitor?
Do Girl Scout cookie sellers need a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brentwood
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Solicitor Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Contra Costa County handle solicitor permits.