Travis County, TX Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Austin Permit
- APD Solicitor ID
- Austin Fee
- About $60
- Hours
- 9 AM-9 PM
- No Solicitors
- Sign enforceable
- Unincorp
- No permit required
Summary
Commercial door-to-door solicitors must register with the City of Austin Police Department per Austin City Code §10-3 and carry a permit. Unincorporated Travis County has no solicitor permit requirement. Religious and political canvassing is constitutionally protected.
Sec. 30.05. CRIMINAL TRESPASS. (a) A person commits an offense if the person enters or remains on or in property of another, including residential land, agricultural land, a recreational vehicle park, a building, a general residential operation operating as a residential treatment center, or an aircraft or other vehicle, without effective consent and the person:(1) had notice that the entry was forbidden; or(2) received notice to depart but failed to do so.(b) For purposes of this section:(2) "Notice" means:(A) oral or written communication by the owner or someone with apparent authority to act for the owner;(C) a sign or signs posted on the property or at the entrance to the building, reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders, indicating that entry is forbidden.
Full Breakdown
Austin City Code Chapter 10-3 requires peddlers, solicitors, and itinerant merchants to obtain a Solicitor Identification Card from APD Permits Unit. Application fee is approximately $60, with background check and photo. Permit must be displayed while soliciting. Permits are not required for religious, charitable, political, or non-commercial speech (First Amendment protection per Watchtower v. Stratton, 536 U.S. 150). Soliciting hours are limited to 9 AM-9 PM. Posted No Solicitors signs are enforceable under Austin §10-3-32 as criminal trespass. Unincorporated county: only state anti-fraud and criminal trespass laws apply.
Violations & Fines
Austin: Class C misdemeanor, up to $500 fine. Soliciting at a posted No Solicitors address: separate trespass charge.
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Travis County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Travis County to another location·View the Texas soliciting & door-to-door overview
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