Burien, WA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Peddlers and transient sales representatives, BMC 5.10.020(1)
- Application
- Sworn, filed with the city clerk, police background check
- Banned hours
- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- No-solicitor signs
- Selling barred at any residence or business posting one
- Base fee
- $100.00 per single endorsement
- License year
- August 1st through the following July 31st
Summary
In the City of Burien, Washington, peddlers and transient sales representatives are prohibited unless licensed under BMC 5.10.100, which requires a sworn application, a police criminal history check and a decision by the city clerk. Peddling is barred between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. and at any residence or business with a posted No Peddlers or No Solicitors sign.
(1) Generally. ... (a) Applicants for a license under this chapter must file with the city clerk’s office a sworn application in writing on a form to be furnished by the city. ... (2) Investigation of Applicant – Issuance and Denial of Permit. (a) The city clerk shall refer the application to the police department which shall determine the accuracy of the information contained in the application and conduct a criminal history background investigation of the applicant. Upon completion, the police department shall forward a recommendation for approval or denial to the finance department. ... (b) No person shall engage in the business of ... peddling or transient sales between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. or at any residence or business that has a clearly posted sign stating “No Peddlers,” “No Solicitors,” or words to that effect.
Full Breakdown
BMC 5.10.010(12) defines a peddler or transient sales representative as anyone, principal or agent, employer or employee, who sells or offers personal property or services by going from house to house or place to place or by indiscriminately approaching individuals. Sales by sample or for future delivery are included, as is selling while standing in a doorway or an unenclosed vacant lot not used as a permanent place of business, but the chapter does not apply to a salesperson who solicits trade from wholesale or retail dealers.
BMC 5.10.020(1) prohibits the activity unless the seller complies with 5.10.100, with exceptions for farmers selling what they grew, harvested or produced, a person specifically requested by a buyer to visit, 501(c)(3) and similar nonprofits, newspaper carriers, peddlers at city-sponsored civic events and Saturday markets that register in advance, and youth athletic, scouting or educational fund-raisers. The applicant files a sworn written application with the city clerk's office giving name, date of birth and description, address and telephone number, the goods to be sold, any employer or principal, a vehicle description with license number, a two-inch by two-inch photograph taken within 60 days before filing, and any criminal convictions in the last 10 years.
An employer or principal obtains its own permit and lists its agents and every other city, town or county that licensed it in the past five years. The city clerk refers the application to the police department for a criminal history background investigation, and the police send a recommendation to the finance department. The clerk issues the permit if character and business responsibility are satisfactory and denies it for fraud, a related conviction in the previous 10 years, a prior refusal, or a false or misleading statement.
The base fee is $100.00 for a single endorsement (5.10.030(3)), and a license issued on or after February 1st carries one-half of the fee (5.10.110).
Violations & Fines
BMC 5.10.160 makes it unlawful to carry on any business activity without the license required by the chapter, and 5.10.150 applies the penalties of 5.05.200: a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Under 5.05.140 the city manager or designee can deny, suspend or revoke the license, and an appeal goes to the hearing examiner within 14 calendar days of notice (5.05.150).
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
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