Fairfax County, VA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Fairfax County regulates door-to-door solicitation primarily under County Code Chapter 30 (Peddlers and Itinerant Merchants) and Chapter 4 (Business Licenses). Commercial solicitors (magazine sales, home improvement, cleaning services, etc.) typically must obtain a Peddler/Solicitor permit from the County, which requires an application, background check, and fee; permits are carried by the solicitor and must be shown on request. Commercial solicitation is generally prohibited: (1) before 9 AM or after sunset (or 8 PM, whichever is earlier); (2) at properties posting a NO SOLICITING or NO TRESPASSING sign (which creates a civil trespass under VA Code 18.2-119 if ignored); and (3) at properties in gated or HOA-restricted communities without separate permission. First Amendment-protected activities — religious proselytizing (e.g., Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormon missionaries), political campaigning, charitable requests, and petition circulation — generally do not require a commercial permit, under Watchtower Bible v. Village of Stratton, 536 U.S. 150 (2002), but must still honor NO SOLICITING signs. A Fairfax County NO SOLICITING or NO TRESPASSING sign on a residence legally bars entry for both commercial and noncommercial solicitation; violators can be charged with trespass. Enforcement is primarily through Fairfax County Police non-emergency reports (703-691-2131); repeat commercial violators face permit revocation and misdemeanor charges.