Charleston, SC Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Sec. 17-107 requires a peddler's permit application filed with the chief of police on a revenue-collections-department form, disclosing the applicant's legal name, home and local address, the goods or services being sold, any vehicle and its license number, employer information if applicable, prior felony or misdemeanor convictions, any civil judgment for fraud or misrepresentation, and a recent head-and-shoulders photograph. Applicants under 18 who aren't married or emancipated need a parent or guardian's signed consent. The chief of police, working with the revenue collections director, must issue the permit within seven days unless the applicant had a permit suspended or revoked in the past 12 months, gave false or incomplete information, has a disqualifying conviction involving a sex offense, controlled substances or violence, has a fraud-related judgment, or has an outstanding warrant.

Once approved, the applicant still owes the annual business license fee and a separate permit fee before the city issues the permit and license. Sec. 17-104 sets every permit to expire December 31 of the issuing year regardless of issue date; Sec. 17-105 requires the permit to be carried at all times while peddling; and Sec. 17-106 makes permits non-transferable. The permit can be revoked by the business license committee after notice and hearing under Sec. 17-107(4), with appeal rights to that committee and then to the Charleston County circuit court under Sec. 17-107(5).