Owensboro, KY Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Article IV of Chapter 16 defines a 'charitable solicitation' broadly under § 16-71 as any course of conduct where a person solicits property, services, or financial assistance, or sells anything of value, based on representations that the proceeds serve a charitable, educational, patriotic, religious, cultural, fraternal, philanthropic, medical, or benevolent purpose. Section 16-72 makes it unlawful to conduct any such solicitation in the City of Owensboro, Kentucky until the director of finance, or a designee, certifies that the person is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

To get certified, an applicant submits a form to the director of finance along with written IRS verification of 501(c) status; the director must issue the certification, or return an incomplete application with notice of what is missing, within two working days of receiving it. A certification stays valid until the IRS revokes, suspends, modifies, or supersedes the applicant's tax-exempt status, and the certified organization must tell the director of finance within 10 days of any change. Once certified, § 16-73 requires the organization to give its solicitors, employees, or members proper credentials showing the solicitor's name and the sponsoring organization's name, and to make those credentials and the certification notice available for public inspection on request.

Section 16-74 penalizes any violation of the article with a fine of up to $250, up to 90 days in jail, or both, plus each 24-hour period of continuing violation counted as a separate offense; the city may also assess an alternative or additional civil penalty of up to $500, payable within 20 days of the citation, and collectible as a civil debt if unpaid.