St. Lucie County, FL Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

St. Lucie County Code § 3-52 makes it unlawful for any person, whether principal, agent or employee, to engage in the business of hawker or peddler in the unincorporated area without first securing a permit under Article III, Division 2. Section 3-51 defines a hawker or peddler as anyone who, for themselves or an employer, solicits sales or subscriptions for goods or services in person or by telephone at private residences. The law exempts individuals soliciting for bona fide educational, literary, scientific, religious or charitable organizations, and it exempts anyone whose employer already maintains a permanent store in the county for selling or displaying the same goods.

Section 3-53 requires applicants to file a sworn application with the Sheriff of St. Lucie County listing their name, permanent and local addresses, a description of the goods or services offered, their employer's name and address, the length of time they intend to solicit, a photo taken within 60 days, fingerprints, and a sworn statement disclosing any prior criminal or municipal-ordinance convictions. A $5 fee covers the sheriff's investigation of the application. Under § 3-54, the sheriff has 15 days to approve or reject the application, weighing the applicant's moral turpitude and any felony convictions; a rejected applicant may appeal to the Board of County Commissioners within 15 days of denial.

An approved permit, per § 3-55, runs for the period the applicant requested, capped at one year, and must be renewed to continue soliciting after expiration. Section 3-57 makes the county permit a prerequisite to the tax collector issuing a separate peddler's occupational license.