Springfield, IL Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License fee
- $10/day to $80/year
- Approving authority
- Mayor's office
- Dwelling hours without consent
- 9:00 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
- ID required
- State photo ID at application
- Nonprofit/charity exemption
- Register, don't need license
- Penalty
- $100-$500 per day
Summary
Springfield requires a solicitor's license from the mayor before anyone can go door to door selling merchandise or services. Fees run from $10 for a single day up to $80 for a full year, and applicants must show state photo ID when they apply.
(a)No person shall solicit any merchandise or services within the corporate limits of the City of Springfield, Illinois, without first obtaining a solicitor's license. The approving authority shall be the mayor. All solicitor's licenses shall be subject to suspension and revocation in accordance with section 110.013 of this Code. An applicant for a solicitor's license must present current state issued photo identification at the time the application submitted. The solicitor's license fees shall be as follows:(1)For one day $10(2)For one month 25(3)For two months 40(4)For one year 80 ... No person shall solicit at dwellings without the prior written consent of the occupant except between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. It shall constitute a nuisance for any solicitor to enter any dwelling without being admitted thereto by some adult occupant thereof.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 82).
Full Breakdown
City Code Sec. 379(a) requires anyone soliciting merchandise or services within Springfield's corporate limits to hold a solicitor's license issued by the mayor, and an applicant must present current state-issued photo identification when submitting the application. Fees are tiered: $10 for one day, $25 for one month, $40 for two months, and $80 for one year. Several categories are exempt from the license itself, though not from registration: a solicitor working for and sharing receipts with a government agency, religious organization, or not-for-profit corporation may solicit without a license once that organization registers with the city clerk and documents its affiliation (Sec.
379(b)). A solicitor generally seeking purchases under $100 from a single buyer in a single solicitation is also exempt, as is anyone soliciting licensed professional services, such as attorneys, accountants, insurance agents, or real estate agents, that don't involve buying goods (Sec. 379(c)). Door-to-door hours are restricted: Sec. , and it is a nuisance offense for a solicitor to enter a dwelling uninvited or to keep pressing a sale after being told no. Every solicitor must identify themselves by name and state who they represent before entering a dwelling, and must leave immediately if the occupant asks (Sec. 381).
Violations & Fines
Soliciting without a license, working outside the 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. window at a dwelling without consent, or refusing to leave when asked are each violations of Chapter 110, carrying the general penalty of Sec. 110.999: a fine of $100 to $500 plus costs, with each day treated as a separate offense. A solicitor's license is also subject to suspension for up to 90 days or revocation under Sec. 110.013 for the same grounds that apply to other business licenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do door-to-door salespeople need a permit in Springfield, Illinois?
What hours can solicitors knock on doors in Springfield?
Do charities need a solicitor's license to canvass in Springfield?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
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