Oak Lawn, IL Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Yes, per individual
- Fee
- $125 per week
- Max duration
- 4 weeks per calendar year
- Security bond
- $1,000 (unless fee waived)
- Charitable orgs
- Fee waived, bond still required
Summary
Oak Lawn requires every peddler, solicitor, and itinerant merchant to get an individual license, capped at four weeks per year and $125 per week.
Peddlers, solicitors, and itinerant merchants shall register by applying to obtain a license to engage in itinerant selling, peddling and soliciting within the village. Notwithstanding the fact that a corporation, partnership, organization or other entity may have several individual peddlers, solicitors, or itinerant merchants in the village at one time, a separate application shall be submitted for each individual, and each individual shall be required to obtain a separate license. Each individual, corporation, partnership, organization or other entity whom the individual is employed by or represents shall be limited to holding any one or more licenses issued under this chapter for a cumulative maximum of four (4) weeks per calendar year. The license fee shall be $125 per week per license and shall be required for each individual peddler or solicitor. Itinerant merchants, where applicable, shall be licensed by the state under the Transient Merchant Act of 1987. License fees will be waived for charitable organizations. (Ords. 93-14-57, 03-20-81, 23-12-42, 24- 19-70)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Code current through: Ord. 26-09-22, passed April 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Village Code Chapter 3-5 requires peddlers, solicitors, and itinerant merchants to register individually with the village clerk before working door to door. Each person needs a separate license even if working for the same employer, licenses run a cumulative maximum of four weeks per calendar year, and the fee is $125 per week (waived for charitable organizations). Most applicants must also post a $1,000 bond and present their plans at a Village Board meeting before the clerk issues the license within 10 working days.
Violations & Fines
Fines run $250 to $750 per offense under § 3-5-12, with each day and each violating individual/location counted as a separate offense. The village manager can also revoke a license after 3 days' notice and a hearing under § 3-5-10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every door-to-door seller in Oak Lawn need a permit?
Are religious or political canvassers exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oak Lawn
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