Lexington, KY Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Bond required
- $500.00 (indemnity or cash)
- License holder must
- Wear badge in plain view
- Transferability
- Non-transferable license
- Max penalty
- $500 fine + 12 months (Sec. 15-9)
- In effect since
- May 19, 1983
Summary
Every peddler working Lexington-Fayette streets must hold a license from the Division of Revenue and post a $500 bond before selling anything door to door. Once issued, the license comes with a badge the peddler must wear in plain view at all times, and it can't be sold or transferred to anyone else.
Effective May 19, 1983, all peddlers shall be required to secure the license established in section 13-13 by making application for the same to the division of revenue. Further, before the division of revenue shall issue a peddler license, the peddler must file or have on file with the commissioner of finance an approved indemnity bond in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500.00) issued by a surety company authorized to transact business within the commonwealth, or post a cash bond in that amount. ... Upon approval of an application for a peddler license and payment of the applicable fee, the division of revenue shall issue a badge or other certificate of licensure specifying the name of the licensee, which shall be worn in plain view at all times by the licensee. The peddler license shall not be transferable; and, accordingly, no licensed individual shall sell his business to an unlicensed individual.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 15-7 has required peddler licensing in Lexington-Fayette since May 19, 1983. Every peddler must secure the license established in Sec. 00 cash bond instead. That bond runs for one year, or until the peddler files an approved occupational license tax return, whichever comes later, and it's forfeited to the urban county government if the peddler fails to comply with Chapter 13 or Chapter 15 of the Code. Only one bond is required per peddler per year, no matter how many locations they work. Once the division of revenue approves the application and the peddler pays the fee, it issues a badge or certificate of licensure bearing the licensee's name, which the peddler must wear in plain view at all times while working.
The license is non-transferable, a licensed peddler cannot sell the business to someone without their own license. A companion section, Sec. 15-8, imposes the identical license-and-bond structure on itinerant merchants, who additionally must show a certificate of occupancy and the property owner's written permission for their fixed selling location.
Violations & Fines
Defacing or altering a peddler's badge or certificate of licensure, or otherwise violating Secs. 15-7 or 15-8, is punishable by a fine of up to $500.00, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both, on top of the general license penalties in Secs. 13-14 and 13-15 (Sec. 15-9). Working without the required license and bond is itself a violation subject to that same penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do door-to-door sellers need a license in Lexington?
Can I transfer or sell my Lexington peddler license to someone else?
What happens if a Lexington peddler defaces their license badge?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lexington
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