Santa Fe, NM Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Subsection 18-3.6 SFCC 1987
- Application lead time
- At least 15 calendar days before soliciting
- Background check
- Required; felony or serious misdemeanor disqualifies
- License term
- Up to 1 year, renewable
- Exempt activity
- Charitable, religious, and political solicitation
- Revocation bar
- 1-year wait before reapplying
Summary
Door-to-door sellers in Santa Fe need a city solicitation license before they knock on a single door. Subsection 18-3.6 SFCC 1987 makes unlicensed solicitation unlawful citywide, with the license non-transferable, while Subsection 18-3.5 exempts charitable, religious, and political solicitation from the licensing requirement itself.
18-3.6 - License required. A.Except as set forth in subsection 18-3.5 SFCC 1987 above, it is unlawful for any person to engage in solicitation within the city without a valid solicitation license issued by the city of Santa Fe.B.Licenses are not assignable or transferable.
Full Breakdown
Santa Fe's Solicitation Ordinance, adopted by Ordinance No. 2010-23, requires anyone engaged in door-to-door commercial solicitation, defined as going onto private property to request money, take orders, sell goods, or convey commercial information, to hold a valid city-issued license before doing it. 6 states plainly that solicitation without a license is unlawful, and that a license, once issued, cannot be assigned or transferred to someone else. 7 requires the applicant's name, permanent address, date of birth, social security number, a photograph, ten years of employment history, disclosure of any criminal convictions or pending cases, and a notarized signature consenting to a criminal background check, filed with the city's accounts receivable office at least 15 calendar days before the person intends to solicit.
8, and the city must deny a license to anyone with a felony conviction or a serious misdemeanor such as a violent crime, sexual assault, drug possession, theft, fraud, or burglary. 9 lets the city refuse renewal, or revoke a license outright, for false statements on the application, noncompliance with license conditions, a conviction while operating under the license, or conduct detrimental to public health, safety, peace, or welfare, and a revoked solicitor cannot reapply for a full year. 5, though those solicitors still must follow the ordinance's operating rules on abusive conduct and knocking hours.
Violations & Fines
Soliciting within Santa Fe without a valid license violates Subsection 18-3.6 and is a petty misdemeanor under Subsection 18-3.14, enforceable by police citation or a filed complaint, subject to the general penalty in Section 1-3 SFCC 1987. A license itself can be revoked for false application statements, a conviction while operating under it, or conduct detrimental to public safety, and a revoked solicitor is barred from reapplying for one year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do door-to-door salespeople need a permit in Santa Fe?
Does a Santa Fe solicitor's license require a background check?
Are charity or political canvassers exempt from Santa Fe's solicitation license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Fe
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