Newark, DE Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

New Castle County regulates door-to-door sales and solicitation under NCC Code Chapter 25 (Peddlers, Solicitors, and Canvassers) or the equivalent county licensing provisions. Commercial solicitors offering goods or services (roofing, windows, landscaping, home security, utility resellers) must apply for a county permit through NCC Department of Finance or Land Use, submit to a criminal background check, and pay a fee. Approved solicitors receive an ID badge that must be visibly displayed while canvassing. Permits are typically valid 30 to 90 days. Canvassing hours are restricted, commonly 9 AM to dusk or 8 PM, prohibiting early morning or late evening door-knocking. Religious canvassers (Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons), political campaign workers, and charitable nonprofits are generally exempt from the permit requirement under First Amendment protections established in Martin v. Struthers (1943) and Watchtower v. Stratton (2002). Residents displaying a No Soliciting sign at the property or driveway entrance can invoke criminal trespass under 11 Del.C. §823 if commercial solicitors ignore the notice. Wilmington and Newark have their own municipal solicitor permit programs. Roofing scam enforcement after storms is a perennial New Castle County concern, especially in Brandywine Hundred, Hockessin, and Pike Creek.