Southampton, NY Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing office
- Town Clerk
- Background check
- Fingerprints + Town Police review
- License term
- calendar year, expires Dec. 31
- First-offense fine
- $250 to $500
- Blight surcharge
- $100 mandatory
- Appeal window
- 30 days to Public Safety Commission
Summary
In the Town of Southampton outside the villages, anyone peddling goods door to door or from a vehicle must get a license from the Town Clerk first. Applicants are fingerprinted, background-checked by the Town Police, and pay Town Board-set fees before receiving a photo license card.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the business of peddler as defined in § 254-2 of this chapter within the corporate limits of the Town of Southampton without first obtaining a license as provided herein. ... A first violation of this chapter, which is hereby declared to be an offense, shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $250 nor more than $500, or imprisonment for a period not to exceed 15 days, or both. A second conviction shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $750, or imprisonment for a period not to exceed 15 days, or both. A third conviction shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $750 nor more than $1,000, or imprisonment for a period not to exceed 15 days, or both. Each day's continued violation shall constitute a separate and additional offense.
Full Breakdown
Town Code § 254-3 makes it unlawful to engage in peddling within the Town without a license issued under Chapter 254, the Peddlers and Solicitors Law. Under § 254-4, applicants file a sworn application with the Town Clerk disclosing name, five years of addresses and employers, physical description, two photographs, any felony or misdemeanor convictions, prior license history, and, for vehicle peddling, proof of registration, insurance and a valid driver's license; food vendors must also submit a Suffolk County Health Department permit and everyone needs a New York State sales tax ID.
Applicants and any corporate agent/employee/operator must be fingerprinted for a Town Police and DCJS/FBI criminal history check. The Town Police review fitness under Article 23-A of the Correction Law and can deny an application, with the Town Clerk mailing a denial notice; a denial can be appealed to the Public Safety Commission within 30 days. License and vehicle fees are set by Town Board resolution on a calendar-year basis with no fractional refunds, and licenses run through December 31. Vehicle peddlers get a windshield-mounted license card, and every peddler must carry and display the license on demand.
Licenses cannot be transferred between people or vehicles. The Town Board can revoke a license after notice and hearing for fraud, any chapter violation, a disqualifying conviction, or unsanitary food handling flagged by Suffolk County Health.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of Chapter 254 is punishable under § 254-14 by a fine of $250 to $500 or up to 15 days in jail, or both; a second conviction runs $500 to $750, and a third runs $750 to $1,000, each with up to 15 days' jail. Every convicted violator also owes a mandatory $100 blight mitigation surcharge, and each day of continued violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Southampton require a license to sell door to door?
What does a Southampton peddler license application require?
What happens if I peddle in Southampton without a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southampton
New York rules heatmap·Compare Southampton to another location·View the New York soliciting & door-to-door overview
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Solicitor Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Suffolk County handle solicitor permits.