Tacoma, WA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- License fee
- $90 for six months
- Background check
- Fingerprints renewed every 4 years
- Apply
- At least 10 days ahead
- Exempt
- Farmers, nonprofits, state-licensed brokers
Summary
Door-to-door sales in Tacoma require a $90, six-month license, a photo ID card, and fingerprint-based background checks before any solicitor knocks.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in door-to-door soliciting in the City without first obtaining a license pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. ... The license fee for Door-to-Door Soliciting is a six (6) month term and hereby fixed as $90.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4946110; v22 updated 2026-07-28).
Full Breakdown
Anyone selling goods or services door-to-door in Tacoma must get a license under TMC Chapter 6B.170 before soliciting; the license runs six months and costs $90. Licensees must carry a City-issued photo ID card, consent to fingerprinting and a state/federal background check at application and at least every four years, and be licensed at least ten days before starting work. The City can deny, suspend, or revoke a license for felony convictions tied to public safety within seven years, or certain misdemeanors within three years. Farmers selling their own produce, established local merchants, school/nonprofit fundraisers, and state-licensed professionals like real estate brokers are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Soliciting without a license, or without carrying the required photo ID card, is a licensing violation subject to denial, suspension, or revocation, appealable under TMC § 6B.10.140.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do school or church fundraisers need a Tacoma solicitor license?
Can Tacoma deny a solicitor license over a criminal record?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tacoma
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Solicitor Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle solicitor permits.