Union, NY Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

Article I of Chapter 151 of the Town of Union Code requires a license, issued by the Town Clerk, before anyone peddles goods, wares or merchandise on any public street, avenue, sidewalk, lane or alley or in any public place in the Town outside the corporate limits of any village. Section 151-1 also covers selling from a booth or stand in those places. It exempts vendors of newspapers, milk, bakery goods, cheese, eggs, cream and poultry, farmers and growers of farm and garden produce, and regularly established retailers and their agents and employees, who need neither a license nor a fee.

Section 151-2 defines a canvasser or solicitor as anyone going from house to house or street to street taking or attempting to take orders for future delivery of goods or services, and treats "vendor" as covering peddlers, solicitors and canvassers.

The process runs through the Town Clerk. The applicant fills out a written form (§ 151-3). The Clerk refers the applicant to the Building Official, who investigates and reports back, and if the Clerk approves, the license issues for a term of 60 days (§ 151-4). The fee is set by Town Board resolution (§ 151-11). A disabled veteran who qualifies receives the license without fee, and no license issues to anyone convicted of a crime or a municipal ordinance violation, or whose vendor license was revoked, unless the Supervisor finds good cause (§ 151-5).

Licenses are nontransferable (§ 151-6), and the vendor must carry the license at all times and show it on demand to a police officer, Town official or employee, or the person approached (§ 151-7). Under § 151-8 a vendor cannot enter a building or property posted with a written notice that vendors are not desired without the occupant's prior consent, and cannot work outside the printed daily hours.