Brown County, WI Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License fee
- $5 per day
- Calling hours
- 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. only
- Out-of-area bond
- $5,000 surety bond
- Applies in
- unincorporated towns only
- Max penalty
- $300 forfeiture + costs
Summary
Direct sellers and solicitors working the unincorporated towns of Brown County must register with the County Clerk and hold a license before going door to door; Green Bay and the county's incorporated cities and villages regulate this separately under their own codes.
30.06 DIRECT SALES AND SOLICITATIONS. (1) Registration Required. It shall be unlawful for any direct seller or solicitor to engage in direct sales or solicitations within the towns of Brown County without being registered and licensed for that purpose as provided herein.
(2) Definitions. In this ordinance:
(a) "Direct seller" means any individual who, for him/herself, or for an organization, society, partnership, association or corporation, sells goods or services or takes sales orders for the later delivery of goods or services at any location other than the permanent business place or residence of the individual, partnership, association or corporation, and shall include, but not be limited to, peddlers, canvassers and transient merchants. The sale of goods and services includes donations requested or required by the direct seller for the retention of goods or services by a donor or prospective customer.
(b) "Permanent merchant" means a direct seller or one representing a merchant who, for at least one year prior to the submission of an application pursuant to this ordinance, has continuously operated an established place of business in this County or has continuously resided in the County and now does business from his/her residence.
(c) "Goods" shall include personal property of any kind and shall include goods provided incidental to services offered or sold.
Full Breakdown
Under Brown County Code § 30.06, any direct seller or solicitor working the unincorporated towns must register with the County Clerk and obtain a license before knocking on doors: the Sheriff investigates every application, registrants pay $5 per day, and out-of-county or out-of-state sellers taking orders for later delivery must post a $5,000 surety bond. Calls are barred between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. except by appointment, at any home posted "No Peddlers" or "No Solicitors," and at rear doors. Green Bay, De Pere, Ashwaubenon and the county's other incorporated municipalities issue their own separate peddler permits.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 30.06 falls under Brown County's general penalty, Code § 1.07(1): a forfeiture of $1 to $300 plus costs, and up to 90 days in jail for nonpayment; the Public Safety Committee can also revoke the license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this permit apply inside Green Bay or De Pere?
What hours are door-to-door sales banned?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brown County
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