St. Louis County, MO Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- unincorporated county + all arterial roads
- License/permit required
- none since 2022 repeal (O. No. 28519)
- Peddler defined as
- seller going place to place with a stock of goods
- Solicitor defined as
- house-to-house or roadway solicitor
- Exempt sales
- wholesale, manufacturer, public-works bids
- Penalty
- $10-$100 fine or up to 30 days jail
Summary
St. Louis County's Peddlers and Solicitors Code applies only outside incorporated cities and on every county arterial road. The county repealed its door-to-door license requirement in 2022, so Chapter 804 today defines who counts as a peddler or solicitor, exempts wholesale and public-works sales, and punishes violations with a fine or jail time rather than requiring a permit.
For the purpose of this chapter, certain words and phrases are herein defined: (1)Peddler: Any individual who shall deal in the selling of goods, wares or merchandise from a stock of merchandise with the peddler, by going about from place to place to sell the same.(3)Solicitor: Any individual:(a)Traveling by foot, wagon, automobile, motor truck, or any type of conveyance from house to house, or place to place; or...(c)Located in or near the roadway or right-of-way of a roadway for the purpose of soliciting property or financial assistance of any kind, selling or offering for sale any article, tag service, emblem, publication or ticket, or taking or attempting to take orders for the sale of goods, wares, books, charts, maps, magazines, or other merchandise for future delivery...; provided, however, that the provisions of this chapter shall not apply to sales personnel soliciting orders from or selling to: retail dealers for resale, wholesalers, and manufacturers for manufacturing purposes, or to bidders for public works or supplies.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 | Traffic: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
020 limits Chapter 804 to the unincorporated parts of St. Louis County plus arterial roads countywide, inside or outside incorporated areas. 260 confirms that Ordinance No. 28519, approved July 22, 2022, repealed the chapter's former licensing sections, which had derived from a 1972 ordinance and later amendments; no permit or license fee currently applies to peddling or soliciting under county law. 030 instead defines the regulated activity: a "peddler" sells goods from a stock of merchandise while going place to place, and a "solicitor" is anyone traveling house-to-house, positioned near street corners or public gathering places, or working the roadway to ask for money, sell articles or tickets, or take orders for future delivery of goods or services.
That same section carves out sales personnel who sell to retail dealers for resale, wholesalers, manufacturers for manufacturing purposes, or bidders for public works or supplies, none of whom are peddlers or solicitors under the chapter. 2 lets the County Council adopt vehicle-solicitation safety restrictions after receiving a study. 5 to post signs barring solicitors from entering their property or barring entry during set hours.
Violations & Fines
Section 804.060 makes any violation of Chapter 804 a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $100, imprisonment in the County Jail for up to 30 days, or both, applied to any peddler or solicitor operating in the unincorporated county or on an arterial road.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does St. Louis County license door-to-door salespeople?
Who counts as a "solicitor" under county law?
Are any sales exempt from Chapter 804?
Where do these solicitation rules apply?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
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