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

Charleston City Code Sec. 18-522 makes it unlawful to engage in soliciting or making home solicitation sales without first paying a $20.00 license fee and obtaining a license from the city collector. Applicants must apply under oath, disclose each solicitor's name and Social Security number, and post either a $3,000 corporate surety bond or an equal cash bond covering delivery of goods sold. The license is non-transferable, renews annually on July 1 for $20.00, and sellers must also register separately with the city's department of consumer protection. A related article (Sec. 18-491, 18-492) licenses general hawkers and peddlers, with narrow exemptions for farmers, charities, and fixed-location retailers making deliveries.