Des Moines, IA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Cash bond
- $200/peddler, $1,000/employer of 5+
- Selling hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. only
- Background check
- 5-year criminal history + sex offender check
- Wait time
- At least 3 business days
- License term options
- 1 week, 1 month, or 3 months
Summary
Anyone selling or taking orders door-to-door in Des Moines must first get a peddler's license from the city clerk and post a cash bond: no permit, no knocking with goods to sell.
(a) Any person engaging in peddling in this city without first obtaining a license as provided in this article shall be in violation of this article. (b) No peddlers license shall be issued until the applicant has delivered to the city clerk a cash bond for no less than $200.00 per license or $1,000.00 for an employer employing a group of five or more license applicants.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Des Moines licenses door-to-door sellers as "peddlers" under Chapter 78, Article II. A license from the city clerk is mandatory before any house-to-house sale or order-taking, and the applicant must post a $200 cash bond ($1,000 for an employer fielding five or more peddlers) to cover consumer-fraud claims. Applications go through a police-department background check, including a criminal history report and sex-offender registry check, with a minimum three-business-day wait. Peddlers must carry and display the license to every prospective customer, can't sell between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m., and must honor posted no-peddling notices. Nonprofit community-benefit canvassers, licensed salvage dealers, and deliveries to existing customers are exempted.
Violations & Fines
Peddling without a license, or violating any Article II rule, is a misdemeanor punishable by fine under Sec. 1-15, or a municipal infraction carrying a civil penalty; the city may also seek an injunction. A license can be summarily suspended or revoked for violations or false statements, with a two-year bar on reapplying after revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every door-to-door seller in Des Moines need a peddler's license?
Can a peddler come to my door at night in Des Moines?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Des Moines
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