De Pere, WI Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Sec. 114-1 states the chapter's intent: protecting residents' peaceful enjoyment of their homes and guarding against commercial fraud, while recognizing that door-to-door activity is not a traditional public forum and can be reasonably, though not broadly, restricted. Sec. " Sec. 114-4 exempts several groups from that requirement, including charitable organization employees who submit proof of registration under Wis. 41, newspaper and dairy delivery routes, wholesale sellers, permanent merchants' employees taking orders away from their store, sellers with a prior relationship with the customer or an invited home visit, agricultural producers selling their own crops, and licensed mobile food vendors.

Sec. 114-5 requires applicants to give the city clerk their name, aliases, address, physical description, employer, vehicle information, and the last three cities where they conducted similar business, along with a driver's license and any required state permits. The city clerk refers each application to the chief of police, who must complete an investigation within ten business days, and registration can be refused for a material omission, valid complaints from other communities, a revocation within the past six months, or a disqualifying conviction. Once approved, the applicant receives a plastic identification card that must be visibly displayed at all times while soliciting. Solicitor registrations are valid for one month, while direct sellers may elect either a one-month or a 12-month registration.