Port Townsend, WA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License fee
- $50.00 per year per person
- Issuing office
- City clerk, after police background check
- Allowed hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. only
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine, 90 days jail
- License expires
- December 31st every year
Summary
Door-to-door sellers and fundraisers in Port Townsend need a $50/year city license, a police background check, and must obey posted "no solicitors" signs.
Every person desiring to engage in soliciting, as defined in PTMC 5.94.010, from persons in residences or businesses within the city is required to make written application for and receive a solicitor's license as provided in this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
PTMC 5.94.020 requires anyone going place to place seeking sales, insurance business, subscriptions, or charitable donations to get a solicitor's license from the city clerk before starting. The chief of police runs a background check and can deny anyone convicted of a qualifying felony (theft, fraud, sex crimes, and more) within the past five years. The $50 annual fee under PTMC 5.94.040 is per person and the license isn't transferable. Soliciting is limited to 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and licensed solicitors must carry the license and photo ID and immediately leave any property posted "no solicitors allowed." Religious and political canvassers who only hand out written material are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Soliciting without a license, ignoring a posted "no solicitors" sign, or soliciting outside 9 a.m.-6 p.m. is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and 90 days in jail under PTMC 5.94.170.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do charity fundraisers need this license too?
Can I stop solicitors from knocking on my door?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
Compare Port Townsend to another location·View the Washington soliciting & door-to-door overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.