Alameda County, CA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Foot peddler (confections)
- $4.00 per quarter
- Stand/vehicle peddler
- $14.00 per quarter
- Medicine peddler
- $20.00 per day
- Applies to
- Unincorporated areas only
- Governing section
- Alameda County Code § 3.04.500
Summary
Anyone peddling goods on foot, by stand, or by vehicle in unincorporated Alameda County must hold a business license, with a fee schedule set by what's being sold and how it's peddled.
Every person conducting, managing or carrying on the business of peddling peanuts, popcorn, candy, gum, light confections or beverages shall pay a quarterly license fee of four dollars ($4.00) for each peddler where such peddling is done by means of a container of any kind carried by a peddler on foot, or a quarterly license fee of fourteen dollars ($14.00) for each stand or vehicle where such peddling is done by means of a stand or vehicle.
Every person conducting, managing or carrying on the business of retail peddling of food for human consumption commonly found in markets, bakeries, or grocery stores shall pay a quarterly license fee of eight dollars ($8.00) for each peddler where such peddling is done by means of a container of any kind carried by a peddler on foot, or a quarterly license fee of seventeen dollars ($17.00) for each vehicle where such peddling is done by means of a vehicle propelled by any means whatsoever.
Every person conducting, managing, or carrying on the business of wholesale peddling of food for human consumption commonly found in markets, bakeries or grocery stores shall pay a quarterly license fee of sixty-seven dollars ($67.00) for each vehicle used.
Full Breakdown
Alameda County's former door-to-door peddlers-and-solicitors chapter (old Ch. 3.36) was repealed and replaced in 2025 with a sidewalk-vending permit program under state SB 946/972, which governs pushcart and stand vending in the public right-of-way: a separate topic. Peddling itself remains licensed under the business license tax chapter: § 3.04.500 sets quarterly or monthly fees by goods sold and method (foot with a container, stand, or vehicle), ranging from $4/quarter for peddling foot-carried confections up to $20/day for peddling medicines. Producers selling only their own farm products are exempt if they register with the treasurer-tax collector. Operating without the required license is a debt to the county and grounds for civil collection.
Violations & Fines
Peddling without the required license exposes the person to civil action by the county for the unpaid tax; each classification also carries its own separate fee obligation if unpaid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as the county's sidewalk vendor permit?
Do farmers selling their own produce door-to-door need this license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alameda County
California rules heatmap·Compare Alameda County to another location·View the California soliciting & door-to-door overview
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