Rockland County, NY Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Section 369-4 states no person, firm, association or corporation may "establish, engage in or carry on, directly or indirectly, the business of transient merchant" in Rockland County without a license in full force and effect. A transient merchant is defined in § 369-2 as anyone who purchases, sells or takes orders for goods in the County on a temporary basis, typically residing or headquartered outside Rockland or intending to remove unsold stock within a year. Ordinary commercial travelers selling to businesses, and licensed mobile food unit operators, are exempted under § 369-3.

License fees under § 369-5 are $700 for one year, $500 for six months, or $300 for one month, waived for qualifying not-for-profit organizations. Applicants must file with the Director of Weights and Measures a description of themselves and the business, proof of legal age, any criminal history in the past 10 years, and corporate formation documents where applicable, per § 369-6. Under § 369-7, no license can issue to anyone convicted of a felony or misdemeanor in the last 10 years (other than traffic offenses), found by a court to have committed civil fraud, whose license was previously revoked, or who made false statements on the application, though the Director has discretion to license a past offender shown to be of good moral character.

Licenses expire one year from issuance, must be displayed conspicuously, and cannot be transferred (§§ 369-8, 369-9). Police or Weights and Measures officers may inspect business premises during business hours under § 369-10. A revoked or denied applicant can appeal to the County Legislature within 30 days under § 369-11, with a three-Legislator panel hearing the appeal.