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

Chapter 18, Article IV of the Spotsylvania County Code sets out the permit process required by Sec. 18-35, which makes it unlawful for anyone to engage in the activities of a door-to-door solicitor without a current permit issued under this article. Sec. 18-52 requires the applicant to submit to the sheriff an application disclosing name, birth date, local and permanent address, the nature of the goods or services offered, the employer or organization represented, any prior felony or misdemeanor conviction, the vehicle to be used, and the specific areas of the county where the applicant plans to work, along with a photocopy of a government photo ID and two passport-size photos.

Sec. 18-53 requires the applicant to be fingerprinted and photographed at the sheriff's office, though fingerprinting is waived for anyone who has lived in the county for the preceding six months, and the photograph requirement is waived for a Virginia resident with a valid Virginia driver's license. Sec. 00 application fee payable to the county treasurer to cover investigation and processing. Under Sec. 18-55, the sheriff must complete the background investigation within 21 days of the application or the permit is deemed approved. Sec. 18-56 lets the sheriff deny the permit if the applicant has a felony conviction within the prior five years, a conviction for a crime against a person or one involving moral turpitude within that same period, or has made a false or misleading statement in the application; a denied or revoked applicant may appeal to the Board of Supervisors under Sec.

18-59 within 10 days of notice. Sec. 18-57 makes an issued permit valid for one year, and Sec. 18-58 requires the solicitor to display it visually at all times while soliciting.