Cranston, RI Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit fee
- $200.00 (city council)
- Hours allowed
- 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Barred days
- Sundays and state/national holidays
- Permit term
- One year, expires March 1
- Background check
- BCI/NCIC, applicant's expense
Summary
Cranston requires a city council permit before any door-to-door sales or canvassing, with a $200 fee, background check, and a 9 a.m.-7 p.m. window.
No person shall attempt to sell products or services by means of door-to-door solicitation, or employ or allow any other person to do so in the city, before first being issued a permit therefore from the city council in compliance with this section. ... no person shall engage in door-to-door solicitation before the hour of 9:00 a.m. or after the hour of 7:00 p.m. or sunset, whichever comes earlier; or on a Sunday or any state or national holiday. ... The fee for a permit to conduct door-to-door solicitation shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4824304; v14 updated 2026-05-18).
Full Breakdown
Under Cranston Code § 5.40.140, no one may sell products or services by door-to-door solicitation without a permit issued by the city council. Applicants file with the city clerk, submit a BCI/NCIC background check at their own expense, and pay a $200.00 permit fee (an existing commercial business pays $25.00 for each additional employee license). The chief of police investigates before approval, and approved solicitors get a photo ID card that must be worn while soliciting. Permits run one year, expiring March 1st. Soliciting is barred before 9:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. (or sunset, whichever is earlier), and entirely on Sundays and state or national holidays.
Violations & Fines
Soliciting without a permit, outside the 9 a.m.-7 p.m. window, or on a Sunday/holiday violates § 5.40.140. The city clerk can revoke a permit for fraud, false statements, or a disorderly manner of soliciting, after notice and hearing before the council's safety services and licenses committee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do door-to-door salespeople need a permit in Cranston?
What hours can solicitors knock on doors in Cranston?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cranston
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Solicitor Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle solicitor permits.