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Butte County, CA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Registration authority
Butte County Sheriff
Required info
Name, address, employer, felony history
Exempt
Insurance sales solicitors
Denial ground
Prior felony conviction
Appeal path
Board of Supervisors
Penalty
Up to $1,000 fine / 6 months jail

Summary

Anyone going door-to-door at private residences to sell goods, wares, merchandise, or services (insurance sales excepted) must first register with the Butte County Sheriff, providing identifying information and any prior felony convictions, before making a single sales call in the unincorporated area.

City-specific rules exist: Chico has its own solicitor permits rules that differ from Butte County's county-level regulations. If you live in Chico, check the city-specific page instead.

All persons before entering in or upon private residences as salesmen or solicitors of orders for the sale of goods, wares, merchandise or services, excepting insurance, are hereby required to register with the sheriff of the county and furnish the following information: name; address; personal description, nature of business; name and address of employer or supplier of goods to be sold; duration of solicitation; prior felony convictions, if any.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).

Full Breakdown

Chapter 17 governs peddlers and solicitors in unincorporated Butte County. Section 17-1 requires every person, before entering upon a private residence as a salesman or solicitor of orders for goods, wares, merchandise, or services (insurance excluded), to register with the county sheriff and furnish name, address, personal description, the nature of the business, the name and address of the employer or supplier of goods to be sold, the duration of the solicitation, and any prior felony convictions. Section 17-2 requires the sheriff to complete registration once an applicant complies, unless the applicant has a prior felony conviction, in which case the sheriff may deny registration; a denied applicant can appeal to the Board of Supervisors.

Section 17-3 lets the sheriff revoke a registration for good cause, with the same right of appeal to the Board. Section 17-4 sets baseline conduct rules for anyone soliciting in the county: solicitation must be conducted in an orderly and lawful manner at reasonable times, and any advance or down payment collected must be receipted and signed by the solicitor, showing the total purchase price, any additional charges, the amount paid, and the supplier's name and address.

Violations & Fines

Chapter 17 sets no fine schedule of its own for soliciting without registration or violating the conduct rules in Section 17-4, so the Code's general penalty at Section 1-7 applies: a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, with continuing violations chargeable day by day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do door-to-door salespeople need a permit in unincorporated Butte County?
Yes. Section 17-1 requires anyone soliciting orders for goods, wares, merchandise, or services at private residences, other than insurance sales, to register with the Butte County Sheriff first, supplying identifying details, the supplier's information, and any prior felony convictions before making any sales calls.
Can the sheriff refuse to register a solicitor?
Yes, under Section 17-2 the sheriff may deny registration if the applicant has a prior felony conviction; otherwise registration must be granted once the applicant complies with Section 17-1's information requirements, and a denied applicant can appeal the decision to the Board of Supervisors.
What rules apply once a solicitor is registered?
Section 17-4 requires solicitation to be conducted in an orderly, lawful manner at reasonable times, and any down payment collected must be receipted and signed by the solicitor, stating the total price, extra charges, amount paid, and the supplier's name and address for the customer's protection.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Butte County

All Butte County rules

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