Lakewood, WA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Lakewood Municipal Code Chapter 5.56 defines a "solicitor" or "peddler" as anyone who goes place to place selling or taking orders for goods, services, or donations, or gathering opinions for commercial purposes (LMC 5.56.020). Before working, the applicant files a written application with the City Manager's office listing identification, employer information, and the goods or services offered (LMC 5.56.070), and the Police Chief or designee investigates the applicant and reports a recommendation before any license issues (LMC 5.56.080). Each solicitor or employer must post a bond, $1,000 for an individual or $5,000 for an employer covering multiple solicitors, to cover losses from misrepresentation or nondelivery (LMC 5.56.090, 5.56.100).

Licenses expire one year from issuance unless renewed (LMC 5.56.040(C)). To prevent one company from flooding neighborhoods, no more than 10 licensed individuals may solicit for the same activity, company, entity, or sponsor within any 30-day period (LMC 5.56.040(D)). Newspaper carriers, milk and bakery route deliveries, tax-exempt 501(c)(3)/(c)(4) charity solicitors staffed by unpaid members, and political campaign workers or petition circulators are exempt from the licensing and bonding requirements (LMC 5.56.050). The general business-licensing provisions of Chapter 5.02 LMC apply on top of this chapter where not in conflict (LMC 5.56.030).