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Collierville, TN Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified October 2026

Key Facts

Issuing office
Town Clerk, after Chief of Police investigation
Permit term
One year from the date of issuance
Renewal deadline
No less than 30 days before expiration
Background check
Required, with a ten-year look-back for felonies and Class 1 misdemeanors
Appeal
Written request to the Town Administrator within 20 days
Fine
Not more than $50 or the state maximum, per offense

Summary

In the Town of Collierville, Tennessee, no one can engage in door-to-door commercial solicitation without first obtaining a permit and identification badge from the Town Clerk and paying the applicable fees. Permits last one year, every applicant faces a criminal background check, and denials can be appealed to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

(A) No person shall engage in door-to-door commercial solicitation within the Town without first obtaining a permit and identification badge from the Town Clerk and paying all applicable fees as provided in this chapter. ... (B) At the time of application, each applicant shall pay a fee in an amount sufficient to defray the costs incurred by the Town in processing the application, plus an additional fee to defray the costs of preparing and issuing an identification badge for each person to be authorized to solicit under the permit, including the applicant. Such fees shall be established by the Board of Mayor and Alderman prior to becoming effective. ... (A) Each permit shall be valid for one year, effective from the date of issuance. (B) Any permittee wishing to renew a permit issued under this chapter must apply for the renewal of the permit no less than 30 days prior to the expiration of its term.

Full Breakdown

Chapter 110 treats peddlers and door-to-door sellers as one group, defined as commercial solicitors. Section 110.35(A) requires a permit and identification badge from the Town Clerk before any door-to-door commercial solicitation in the Town. The application is an affidavit on a Town Clerk form (§ 110.36). It asks for the business's name, address, telephone number, email and website, federal tax identification number, legal status and proof of registration with the Tennessee Secretary of State, a list of every person authorized to solicit and all supervising staff, and proof that the applicant holds a valid business tax license issued by the Town. Fees are set by the Board of Mayor and Alderman and cover application processing plus an identification badge for each solicitor.

The Clerk refers a complete application to the Chief of Police, who investigates, and all applicants undergo a criminal background check (§ 110.37). Under § 110.39, a person is ineligible if, within ten years before applying, the person was convicted of, pled guilty to, or was placed on probation or parole for or released from incarceration for a felony or Class 1 misdemeanor. Badges carry a photograph, the words Permitted Solicitor, the permit number and the expiration date, and neither a permit nor a badge can be transferred. A permit is valid for one year, and a renewal application must be filed no less than 30 days before expiration (§ 110.38).

While working, a solicitor must conspicuously display the badge on the front of the person and exhibit the permit and badge when any police officer or customer asks (§ 110.45). Section 110.47(B) limits the work to the hours between 9:00 a.m. and one-half hour before sunset. A denied applicant files a written request with the Town Administrator within 20 days; the hearing before the Board of Mayor and Alderman falls within 25 days; and a denial of an initial application after the hearing can be appealed by writ of certiorari to the Circuit or Chancery Courts of Shelby County within 60 days (§ 110.44).

Violations & Fines

Soliciting door to door without a permit and badge violates § 110.35(A). The Town Clerk can suspend or revoke a badge after written notice of no less than seven calendar days, and can summarily suspend a permit or badge for a period not to exceed 20 days when public safety requires emergency action. Court penalties follow § 110.99: a fine of not more than $50 or the maximum amount permitted by state law, whichever is greater, for each offense, with each day a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who needs a solicitor permit in Collierville?
Anyone engaging in door-to-door commercial solicitation in the Town, including the people the code calls peddlers and solicitors, needs a permit and identification badge from the Town Clerk under § 110.35(A). Section 110.32 exempts bona fide merchants delivering goods in the regular course of business and sellers answering a prior invitation from the owner or occupant.
How long does the permit last and how do I renew it?
Each permit is valid for one year from the date of issuance under § 110.38. A permittee must apply for renewal no less than 30 days before the term ends, or the permit expires. The renewal application uses substantially the same form as the original, and the permittee pays a renewal fee set to cover the Town's processing costs.
What disqualifies an applicant?
Under § 110.40, the Town Clerk denies a permit for a material misrepresentation in the application, failure to obtain a business tax license, or a felony or Class 1 misdemeanor conviction. Section 110.39 also makes a person ineligible for a conviction, probation, parole or release from incarceration within ten years before applying, or for an earlier permit or badge revoked under this chapter.
How do I appeal a denial in the Town of Collierville?
File a written request setting out the grounds with the Town Administrator within 20 days of the Town Clerk's decision. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen hears the matter within 25 days of the Clerk receiving the request, unless the applicant asks for a later date and the Clerk grants it, and states its reasons in writing within five days of the hearing. A denial of an initial application can then go to the Circuit or Chancery Courts of Shelby County by writ of certiorari within 60 days.

Sources & Official References

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