Burlington, NC Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Chapter 24, Article II governs peddlers, solicitors on another's premises, and itinerant merchants, tracing back to the 1959 code and updated by Ordinance No. 22-36 in October 2022. Section 24-21 splits the permit path in two: a peddler or commercial solicitor not representing a charitable, educational or religious organization must register with the city tax collector on a city-provided application and obtain a permit, paying a registration fee set by the city council, while an itinerant merchant must instead obtain a temporary use permit from the planning department under the standards for itinerant merchants in the Unified Development Ordinance.

Section 24-22 requires the applicant to appear in person with photo identification and file a sworn application disclosing the applicant's name and addresses, a description of the business and goods, employer information if applicable, how long the applicant intends to operate, where the goods are made or stored, a two-by-two-inch photograph, any prior criminal or ordinance convictions, a description of any vehicle used including make, model and license number, whether payment is taken in advance, and the applicant's last five municipalities of work, plus a fingerprint taken by the tax collector.

Section 24-23 caps every permit at twelve months. Section 24-24 makes it unlawful to give false or misleading information on the application, and Section 24-26 requires the permit to be displayed visibly while the holder is working. Section 24-27 lets the tax collector revoke a permit for violating any city, state or ordinance provision, and Section 24-25 requires a peddler to get the property owner's written, signed consent before selling on private property. Section 24-28 sets a fifty dollar civil penalty for any violation, escalating with a twenty-five dollar late fee and potential civil debt collection if unpaid within ten days, on top of the remedies available under G.S. 160A-175.