Richland, WA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Section 5.12.020 defines a "solicitor" or "canvasser" as anyone who goes house to house or place to place in Richland selling or taking orders for goods, wares, merchandise or services, whether or not they carry a sample or collect payment in advance. Section 5.12.030 makes it unlawful to act as a solicitor or canvasser without a license from the Finance Director. Applicants under Section 5.12.050 must submit photo identification, list a permanent and local address, describe the goods or services offered, name their employer if any, and disclose past criminal convictions; the application costs $12 to cover an investigation by the chief of police, who reviews the applicant's character and business responsibility, and every applicant with a Washington address of at least one year must pay $12 for a Washington State Patrol background check, while out-of-state applicants must supply a state patrol background check from every state they lived in during the past 12 months, plus a Richland police warrants check.

Section 5.12.080 sets the license fee at $10 for 30 days or $30 for 90 days. Section 5.12.150 exempts insurance salesmen, daily newspaper carriers, local farmers selling their own produce, milk or bakery delivery, laundry service, and charitable or political organization members raising funds for their own cause. The Finance Director may suspend or revoke a license for fraud, misrepresentation, a chapter violation, a moral turpitude conviction, or conduct endangering public health or safety, with appeal to the city council under Section 5.12.120.