Sumter County, FL Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sumter County Code § 14-79
- Permit fee
- $20.00 per day of solicitation
- Insurance required
- $1,000,000.00 general liability minimum
- Solicitation hours
- 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mon-Sat
- Permit term
- Non-transferable, expires within 30 days
- Minimum age
- 18 years old to solicit
Summary
Sumter County no longer licenses general door-to-door peddlers; that old article was repealed in 2010. What remains is Sec. 14-79, which requires charitable organizations registered under F.S. § 496.405 to obtain a county permit before soliciting on public roads, highways, and rights-of-way in the unincorporated area.
(a)Purpose. Charitable organizations registered in accordance with F.S. § 496.405, and such other organizations exempt from registration in accordance with F.S. § 496.406, are authorized to solicit charitable contributions upon the public roads, highways and adjacent rights-of-way within the unincorporated areas of Sumter County, Florida, subject to the requirements of this section. ... (d)Permit fee. A permit fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) per day for each day solicitation occurs shall be paid upon submission of the application described in subsection (b) of this section. ... (g)Solicitation hours. The hours during which charitable organizations holding permits pursuant to this section may solicit contributions on public roads, highways and rights-of-way shall be not earlier than 8:00 a.m. and not later than 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. ... (k)Violation and penalties. The minimum punishment for a violation of this section shall be a citation for a pedestrian violation, punishable as provided in F.S. Ch. 318. The maximum punishment ... shall be a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or imprisonment for sixty (60) days, or both.
Full Breakdown
Sumter County repealed its general peddler and transient-merchant licensing article through Ord. No. 2010-04 and retitled the article to cover only charitable solicitation in public rights-of-way. Under Sec. 406, must apply to the Sumter County Administrator's Office at least fourteen days before the first date it wants to solicit on a county road, highway, or right-of-way. The application must list the organization's officers, proof of registration or exemption, the dates, times, and locations of the planned solicitation, and photo identification for every participant, along with a hold-harmless and indemnification agreement.
00 for each day it solicits. Every solicitor must be at least eighteen years old and must wear an ANSI Class II DOT reflective safety vest or similar approved apparel while soliciting. , Monday through Saturday. The sheriff or the county administrator can revoke a permit on a credible report of vulgar, insulting, or threatening language, or reasonable cause to believe the solicitation is creating a traffic hazard or violating any law.
Violations & Fines
The floor penalty is a pedestrian-violation citation under F.S. Ch. 318. Where the conduct does not also violate Florida's Solicitation of Charitable Contributions Act, the ceiling penalty under Sec. 14-79(k) is a $1,000.00 fine, sixty days in jail, or both. Soliciting without registering under F.S. § 496.405, or without the required exemption, can instead trigger the felony penalties set out in F.S. Ch. 496 itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can charities collect donations at intersections in Sumter County?
Does Sumter County still require a peddler's license for door-to-door sales?
What hours can charities solicit on Sumter County roads?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sumter County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Sumter County to another location·View the Florida soliciting & door-to-door overview
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