Gary, IN Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Every peddler and transient merchant (§ 10-298)
- Minimum age
- 14, unless employed by a parent (§ 10-299(b))
- Investigation
- By chief of police before issuance (§ 10-300)
- License display
- Photo badge worn on hat/garment (§ 10-303)
- Expiration
- December 31 each year (§ 10-304)
- Revocation grounds
- Fraud, article violation, moral-turpitude crime (§ 10-306)
Summary
Anyone doing business as a peddler or transient merchant in the City of Gary, whether an adult or a child, must obtain a permit and license from the city controller before soliciting or selling, and no license goes to a child under 14 unless the child works for a parent. The chief of police investigates every applicant before a license issues.
(a)Each and every individual, whether an adult or child, whether self-employed or employed by others engaged in business as a peddler as defined in this division shall obtain permits and licenses as required and shall comply with all applicable health standards established by the health department.(b)Every individual, corporation, or organization who will be engaged in business as a transient merchant as defined in this article shall obtain permits and licenses as required herein.
Full Breakdown
Gary Municipal Code § 10-298 requires every individual peddler and every transient merchant to obtain permits and licenses; not-for-profit corporations and unincorporated civic clubs are exempt from the permit but must still register with the controller's office. Under § 10-299, an applicant files a sworn application with the city controller giving name and address, a description of the goods or services, employer information if applicable, two recent 2-inch-by-2-inch photographs, fingerprints taken by the police department, and disclosure of any felony conviction; a minor under 14 cannot be licensed unless employed by their own parent.
The city controller refers every application to the chief of police, who investigates the applicant's character and business responsibility and endorses approval or disapproval on the application before a license issues (§ 10-300). License fees are set in chapter 20 and assessed annually from January 1, with fees halved for applications made on or after August 1 (§ 10-302); every license expires December 31 (§ 10-304) and must display the licensee's photo, worn conspicuously on the hat or outer garment while working (§ 10-303).
Violations & Fines
The city controller may revoke a peddler or transient-merchant license under § 10-306(a) for fraud or misrepresentation in the application, for fraud or a false statement made while doing business, for any violation of Article VII, or for conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude, after written notice of the grounds and hearing date mailed at least five days ahead. Wearing or using a license issued to someone else is separately unlawful under § 10-305. Because Article VII sets no fine of its own, the Code's general penalty in § 1-7 also applies: up to $2,500.00 for a first offense and up to $7,500.00 for a repeat, with each continuing day a separate offense; police and code enforcement officers report violations to the controller under § 10-264.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gary
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