Island County, WA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issued by
- Island County Sheriff's Office
- Permit fee
- $10 per salesperson
- Permit term
- 1 year from issuance
- Must be carried
- on person while soliciting
- Exempt
- religious/fraternal/nonprofit sellers
- Penalty
- up to $100 fine, 30 days jail per sale
Summary
Anyone selling or soliciting door-to-door or on someone else's premises in unincorporated Island County must get a permit from the Sheriff's Office under Chapter 5.16, pay a $10 fee for each salesperson, and carry that permit while working; religious, fraternal and other nonprofit fundraisers, including school projects, are exempt.
Any person, firm, or corporation desiring to sell or solicit the purchase of personal property, goods, services, or property of any nature or kind by solicitation of householders or others, door-to-door or upon the premises of others, shall first secure a permit from the Island County Sheriff's Office. The Island County Sheriff's Office shall collect as a fee for said permit the sum of ten dollars ($10.00) for each salesman or saleslady who shall be selling under said permits. The said permit shall be good for a period of one (1) year from the date of issuance. ... The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to solicitations and sales by religious, fraternal, or other nonprofit organizations, including those engaged in school projects, provided the funds received therefrom are to be used solely for nonprofit purposes.
Full Breakdown
020 requires anyone who wants to sell or solicit goods, services or property door-to-door, or upon the premises of others, to first secure a permit from the Island County Sheriff's Office, which charges $10 for each individual salesperson covered and issues the permit for one year from the date of issuance. 030 spells out the application: the applicant's name and address, the employer's name and address, the name and address of every salesperson selling under the permit, a disclosure of any prior criminal convictions and where they occurred, and fingerprints on request from the Sheriff.
Every salesperson must carry the permit on their person while going door-to-door in the county. 050 carves out an exception so religious, fraternal, and other nonprofit organizations, including groups running school fundraising projects, never need this permit at all, as long as the money raised is used solely for nonprofit purposes. The chapter dates to a 1963 ordinance and remains in force in Island County Code as codified today.
Violations & Fines
Section 5.16.040 makes any violation of chapter 5.16 a misdemeanor, and each individual sale or solicitation made without complying with the chapter counts as a separate offense. Each violation is punishable by up to 30 days in the county jail, a fine of up to $100, or both, so an unpermitted salesperson working door-to-door for several days can rack up multiple separate charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues a door-to-door sales permit in Island County?
Do charities need a solicitor permit to canvass door-to-door?
What happens if a salesperson solicits without the permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Island County
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