Scottsdale, AZ Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Financial Services Department
- Application lead time
- 10 days before solicitation
- Allowed hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Under-16 solicitor hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Max permit term
- 1 year
- Post-solicitation report due
- Within 60 days of expiration
Summary
Scottsdale requires anyone soliciting door to door or in public for a charitable purpose to get a permit from the Financial Services Department first. Applications go in at least ten days ahead, solicitation is capped to the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and permits run up to a year.
No person shall solicit within the city contributions for any charitable purpose without first obtaining a permit from the general manager, financial services department or designee. This section does not apply to solicitation made by an organization established and operated exclusively for a charitable purpose if such solicitations are made solely among its members and their guests by other members serving without remuneration, or if such solicitations are made at the assemblies or services of the organization.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
City Code Chapter 8 Article II makes it unlawful to solicit contributions for any charitable purpose within Scottsdale without a permit from the general manager of the Financial Services Department (Sec. 8-21). The exemption covers only members-only appeals inside an established charitable organization or solicitations made at the organization's own assemblies or services; every other canvasser needs the permit. Applicants file at least ten days before the solicitation date and must disclose the organization's officers, its IRS 501(c) exemption, the amount to be raised, how proceeds will be spent, the names of everyone conducting the solicitation, and any felony or dishonesty-related misdemeanor conviction within the prior five years (Sec.
8-22). The department must approve or deny within ten days, checking that statements are true, no disqualifying convictions exist, and the drive is not run for private profit (Sec. 8-24). unless accompanied by an adult over eighteen (Sec. 8-5). Every permit holder must carry a copy of the permit and wear a name tag showing their own name and the sponsoring organization's name while soliciting (Sec. 8-26). Permits run for a stated period not exceeding one year and are subject to reapplication on expiration (Sec.
8-25). Within sixty days after a permit expires, the organization must file a sworn report with the total raised, solicitation costs, and how funds were or will be disbursed (Sec. 8-4).
Violations & Fines
The customer service director can revoke a permit on reasonable belief of a chapter violation or a misrepresented application, notifying the holder and the police chief in writing within two days (Sec. 8-27). A denial or revocation can be appealed to the Financial Services Department within ten days, with a hearing set within ten days and a decision issued within seven days after the hearing closes (Sec. 8-28). Soliciting without the required permit, where no specific penalty is stated, defaults to a Class 1 misdemeanor under the Code's general penalty section (Sec. 1-8).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every charity fundraiser in Scottsdale need a permit?
What hours can solicitors knock on doors in Scottsdale?
What happens if the city revokes a solicitation permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scottsdale
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