Penn Hills, PA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License required for
- peddlers, canvassers, transient merchants
- Fee range
- $3/day to $200/year
- Bond
- $200-$500 for out-of-state dealers
- Issued within
- 72 hours of approval
- Issuing office
- Penn Hills Police Department
Summary
Peddlers, transient merchants, and commercial canvassers must get a police-issued license before going door-to-door in Penn Hills, backed by a sworn application, fingerprints, and background check.
No peddler, transient merchant, or commercial or noncommercial canvasser shall engage in any such business within the Municipality without first having obtained a license therefor in compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4434863; v5 updated 2025-07-21; through 07-21-2025).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 840 requires any peddler, transient merchant, or commercial canvasser to hold a license before doing business in the Municipality (§ 840.02). Applicants file a sworn application with the Police Department listing a physical description, home address, employer, goods sold, a photo, and fingerprints (§ 840.04); the Director of Police investigates the applicant's character before approval, and the license issues within 72 hours of payment (§ 840.06). Fees run $3/day to $100/year for applicants who own taxed property used for the business, and $5/day to $200/year for those who don't (§ 840.08); non-Allegheny-County or out-of-state applicants must also post a $200-$500 surety bond (§ 840.09).
Violations & Fines
Operating without the required license, using someone else's license, or failing to show it on demand violates Chapter 840; absent a chapter-specific fine, the Code's general penalty (§ 202.09) applies - up to $1,000 and up to 30 days in default, per day of violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do door-to-door salespeople need a permit in Penn Hills?
Are charity or political canvassers exempt from the fee?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Penn Hills
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