Lawrence, KS Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License required for
- peddlers, solicitors, transient merchants
- Issued by
- city clerk, with police background check
- Review time
- 5 business days
- Peddler/solicitor term
- up to 1 year, expires Dec. 31
- Transient merchant term
- 5 days
- Fine for unlicensed activity
- $250.00 to $1,000.00
- Denial reapplication bar
- 90 days
Summary
In the City of Lawrence, anyone acting as a peddler, solicitor, or transient merchant must first obtain a solicitor's license from the city clerk. The clerk runs a police background check and must act within five business days, denying applications with felony records, fraud, or prior revocations.
No person shall act within the corporate limits of the city as a peddler, solicitor, or transient merchant without first obtaining a valid solicitor's license. ... Within five business days of the application, the city clerk shall approve the application and shall issue to the applicant a solicitor's license, unless: (1)The application is incomplete;(2)The application is determined to be fraudulent, to include a misrepresentation, or to contain a false statement;
Full Breakdown
Lawrence City Code Article VIII requires a solicitor's license before any door-to-door peddling, order-taking, or transient sales inside the corporate limits. Applicants file with the city clerk and must disclose full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, a government photo ID, a valid state sales tax number, a description of vehicles used, and whether they have had a license revoked or a felony/dishonesty conviction in the past two to five years. The chief of police runs a background check, and the clerk must approve or deny within five business days; denial grounds include an incomplete or fraudulent application, a license revocation within two years, a felony or dishonesty conviction within five years, or an outstanding warrant.
A denied applicant (other than for an incomplete form) is barred from reapplying for 90 days. Peddler and solicitor licenses run for up to one year, expiring December 31; transient merchant licenses last only five days. Licenses are nontransferable and must be carried and displayed at all times while soliciting. The chief of police or city clerk can revoke a license for fraud, article violations, disturbing the peace, unauthorized right-of-way use, or a land development code violation, with notice mailed to the licensee and a 14-day window to appeal to the governing body.
Violations & Fines
Working without a license, or violating the carry/display/nontransferability rules of sections 6-807 through 6-809, is a municipal offense under section 6-814, punishable by a minimum fine of $250.00 and a maximum of $1,000.00; the municipal court judge has no authority to suspend the minimum fine. Additional unlawful acts under section 6-813 include using sound devices to attract attention, erecting an unpermitted temporary stand, selling from a vehicle exceeding three-fourths ton rated capacity, and posting more than one sign or a sign over nine square feet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to go door-to-door selling in Lawrence, Kansas?
How long does a Lawrence solicitor's license application take?
Can Lawrence deny my solicitor's license for a past conviction?
Can I appeal if Lawrence denies or revokes my solicitor's license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lawrence
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