Modesto, CA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Yes. Modesto Police Dept.
- Permit fee
- $10
- No-soliciting signs
- Must be honored
- Governing code
- MMC Title 4, Ch. 7, Art. 15
Summary
Modesto requires door-to-door solicitors and peddlers to obtain a Solicitation Temporary Permit from the Modesto Police Department before canvassing. The permit costs $10. Soliciting at homes with posted 'No Soliciting' signs is prohibited.
602. Except as provided in subdivisions (u), (v), and (x), and Section 602.8, a person who willfully commits a trespass by any of the following acts is guilty of a misdemeanor: ... (h) (1) Entering upon lands or buildings owned by another person without the license of the owner or legal occupant, where signs forbidding trespass are displayed at intervals not less than three per mile along all exterior boundaries and at all roads and trails entering the land; or injuring, gathering, or carrying away any animal being housed on any of those lands, without the license of the owner or legal occupant.
Full Breakdown
Under Modesto Municipal Code Title 4, Chapter 7, Article 15, commercial door-to-door solicitors, peddlers, and canvassers must obtain a Solicitation Temporary Permit issued by the Modesto Police Department before soliciting within city limits. The permit application fee is $10 and must be submitted to the MPD. Soliciting at residences displaying a posted 'No Soliciting' sign is prohibited and enforceable. Itinerant vendors operating from sidewalks or streets require a separate Street/Sidewalk Temporary Use Permit ($12.50). Code Enforcement (CEU) and Modesto PD enforce violations. Charitable solicitations may be subject to additional state law requirements under California Business and Professions Code § 17510 et seq.
Violations & Fines
Soliciting without a permit or at a posted 'No Soliciting' residence is an infraction. Administrative citations start at $100 and escalate. Criminal misdemeanor prosecution possible for repeat or egregious violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to sell door-to-door in Modesto?
Can I solicit at a home with a 'No Soliciting' sign in Modesto?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Modesto
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