Hempstead, NY Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Yes, from Town Clerk
- Personal license fee
- $50 per year
- Vehicle license fee
- $25-$100 per year
- License expiration
- December 31 annually
- Minimum age
- 16 years old
- Fine for violation
- $500 per offense
Summary
The Town of Hempstead requires anyone who peddles or solicits door to door, including canvassers and vehicle vendors, to hold a license from the Town Clerk. The annual fee is $50 per person and up to $100 per vehicle, and licensees must wear a badge at all times.
It shall be unlawful for any person to peddle or solicit within the Town of Hempstead without having first obtained a valid license therefor, as provided hereunder. Every employer who hires a person to peddle or solicit in his behalf shall share the same responsibility with respect to penalties hereunder, in the event that person shall peddle or solicit without having first obtained a valid license.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4863878; v67 updated 2026-04-28; through 04-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
Town Code Chapter 118 makes it unlawful to peddle or solicit in the unincorporated Town of Hempstead without first obtaining a license from the Town Clerk, who serves as License Commissioner. 5-inch photographs, proof of citizenship or legal entry status, and, if handling food, proof of compliance with Nassau County health ordinances. The Town Clerk forwards each application to the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services for a background check and must approve or deny within 10 business days of receiving all required information; no license may issue to anyone under 16.
The annual license fee is $50 per solicitor and, for vehicles, $25 up to 5,000 pounds gross weight plus $25 for each additional 1,000 pounds, capped at $100; a lost badge or plate can be replaced for $5, and a substituted vehicle costs $10 to re-license. All licenses expire December 31 regardless of issue date, and fees are non-refundable even if the application is later denied. Honorably discharged veterans holding a Nassau County peddler's license are exempt from the Town fee but must still obtain a Town badge.
Every licensee must wear the Town-issued badge on an outer garment while working and carry the license to display on demand. Employers who hire an unlicensed peddler or solicitor share responsibility for penalties under the chapter.
Violations & Fines
Peddling or soliciting without a license, or an employer knowingly using an unlicensed peddler, is a violation punishable by a $500 fine per offense under § 118-16, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. The Town Clerk may also revoke or suspend a license after notice and hearing for fraud, misrepresentation, or a conviction involving moral turpitude, and a denied or revoked applicant may appeal to a Town-appointed review board within 20 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hempstead
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