Provo, UT Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Certificate from City Licensing Officer
- Background check
- BCI report within 180 days
- Temporary certificate
- Valid 25 calendar days
- Annual certificate
- Valid 1 year, renewable
- Soliciting hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. only
- Appeal deadline
- 10 business days to City Recorder
- Maximum penalty
- $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
Anyone going door-to-door in Provo to sell goods, services, or subscriptions must first register with the City Licensing Officer and carry a certificate. Registration requires a criminal background check, and solicitors may only knock between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Unless otherwise exempt under this Chapter, any person desiring to engage in door-to-door solicitation within the City, prior to doing so, shall submit a completed application to the Licensing Officer and obtain a certificate. ... It shall be unlawful for any person, whether licensed or not, to solicit at a residence before 9:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, unless the solicitor has express prior permission from the resident to do so. ... Any person who violates any term or provision of this Chapter shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not to exceed one thousand (1,000) dollars and/or a jail sentence of not to exceed six (6) months.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-17, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Provo City Code Chapter 6.09 requires any person engaging in door-to-door solicitation, defined broadly to include seeking sales, orders, subscriptions, or contributions at a residence, to submit a completed application to the City Licensing Officer and obtain a certificate before soliciting, per Section 6.09.060. A completed application under 6.09.030 and 6.09.070 requires a Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) background check dated within 180 days, two copies of photo identification, and payment of fees, plus in-person identity verification. The City first issues a temporary certificate valid 25 calendar days while it verifies the application; an annual certificate then runs one year from the temporary certificate's issuance and is renewable.
A registered solicitor must carry the certificate at all times and wear a City-issued photo identification badge while soliciting, under Section 6.09.110. Certificates are non-transferable, and any change in the goods sold or the responsible business requires a written amendment request to the Licensing Officer under Section 6.09.130. The Licensing Officer must deny or revoke a certificate for disqualifying criminal history under 6.09.140, including felony convictions within 10 years, incarceration within 5 years, certain misdemeanors within 5 years, or an outstanding warrant, and must send written notice stating the grounds.
A denied or suspended applicant has 10 business days to appeal in writing to the City Recorder, with the Mayor or the Mayor's designee deciding de novo within 15 calendar days under Section 6.09.150. Solicitors must honor posted "No Solicitation" signs, may not knock if one is displayed, must identify themselves and their purpose face-to-face, cannot use a fictitious name, and must leave immediately if asked, per Sections 6.09.170 and 6.09.180. Exemptions from registration cover invited guests, state-licensed solicitors, prior-order deliveries, religious and political advocacy, and approved student charitable fundraising under Section 6.09.040, though those exempt persons still must obey the no-solicitation-sign and time-of-day rules.
Violations & Fines
Soliciting without a certificate, outside the 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. window, at a residence posted with a "No Solicitation" sign, or using a fictitious name is a class B misdemeanor under Section 6.09.210, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. The City can also deny, suspend, or revoke a certificate for a substantiated report of misconduct or a disqualifying criminal record discovered after issuance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do charities and political canvassers need a Provo solicitor permit?
What disqualifies someone from getting a solicitor certificate in Provo?
Can I refuse door-to-door solicitors in Provo?
What happens if my solicitor certificate is denied or suspended?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Provo
Compare Provo to another location·View the Utah 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.
Solicitor Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Utah County handle solicitor permits.