Cedar Rapids, IA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Cedar Rapids Municipal Code § 42.02(a) requires every vendor, a category that Chapter 42 defines to include solicitors going door to door and transient merchants, to hold a license issued under Chapter 41 before operating in the city, except for the individuals and organizations exempted at § 42.13, such as newspaper carriers, wholesale sellers, and Section 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Only one natural person may operate under a single solicitor license, while a business operates under one transient merchant license, and the license is not transferable between people, businesses, or locations without City Manager approval.

Getting licensed takes more than an application. Section 42.03 requires the applicant's name, address, a valid photo ID, a description of goods sold, and, for solicitors specifically, a physical description plus a state-wide criminal history report from every state the applicant lived in over the prior five years. Section 42.04 requires a $1,000 surety bond guaranteeing that customer money is accounted for, and § 42.05 requires proof of general liability insurance, including products liability coverage, of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, filed with the City Clerk before a license issues. License fees are set by City Council resolution under § 42.06.

Once licensed, § 42.11(a) limits solicitor hours to between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., with no solicitation on federal holidays absent City Manager approval. Section 42.12 separately bars repeat visits to the same residence for the same pitch within 14 days without an invitation, ringing a bell where a "No Soliciting" sign is posted, and refusing to leave when asked. A license can be denied or revoked for misrepresentation, fraud, or a Chapter 42 violation, and a denied or revoked applicant is barred from reapplying for 180 days under §§ 42.02(e) and 42.07(d).