Flint, MI Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing authority
- Flint City Clerk
- License term
- Expires April 30 annually
- Application requires
- Photo, fingerprints, character check
- Reapplication after denial
- 6-month wait minimum
Summary
The City of Flint requires solicitors, canvassers and peddlers to get a City Clerk license before going door-to-door, backed by a background check that can deny or revoke it.
It shall be unlawful for any solicitor, canvasser or peddler to engage in such business in the City without first having obtained a license therefor in the manner set forth in this article. Any license so issued shall not permit any person to engage in the business of peddling or vending any goods, wares or merchandise in areas in which such sales are prohibited.
(b) However, a property owner or lessee who is licensed to sell food on his premises may sell food on the sidewalk immediately in front of his premises, if done in such a manner as does not obstruct the free passage of persons along the sidewalk. (Ord. 1428, passed 3-17-1958; Ord. 1792, passed 8-17-1964; Ord. 2837, passed 6- 14-1982; Ord. 2992, passed 5-12-1986; Ord. 3476, passed 5-29-2001)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2016 Code: Local legislation current through Ordinance 3821, passed 3-1-2012).
Full Breakdown
Under City of Flint Code § 12-172(a), it is unlawful for any solicitor, canvasser or peddler to do business in the city without first obtaining a license through the City Clerk. Applicants must submit a photo, fingerprints, a criminal-history statement and a $60-range fee (per Chapter 26), and the Clerk investigates character and business reputation before issuing the license under § 12-173 through § 12-175. Licenses expire April 30 each year and can be suspended or revoked by the City Administrator for violating license conditions.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a license, or after suspension/revocation, exposes the solicitor to denial of a license, revocation with forfeiture of the fee, and prosecution as a municipal civil infraction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every door-to-door seller in Flint need a permit?
Can Flint deny a solicitor's license application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Flint
Compare Flint to another location·View the Michigan soliciting & door-to-door overview
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