Waukesha, WI Soliciting & Door-to-Door: Solicitor Permits (2026)

09, Solicitors and Transient Merchants, requires anyone soliciting contributions or selling goods door to door to register with the Chief of Police and receive an identification card before starting. The application discloses the applicant's identity, employer, the goods or services offered, and any vehicle used, and applicants must present a driver's license and, where relevant, a state weights-and-measures certificate or health officer's certificate. 00, and registration is valid for one year. Exemptions cover regular delivery routes, wholesale sellers, invited home visits, repeat customers within the past 12 months, court-ordered sales, Farmer's Market vendors authorized by the Business Improvement District, sellers at City-sanctioned events like Riverfest, and school fundraising by enrolled students.

The Chief of Police can deny or revoke registration for material misstatements, substantiated complaints from other municipalities, a disqualifying criminal record, or noncompliance with the section, with an appeal available to the Common Council. Once registered, solicitors must wear their ID card visibly, disclose their name and affiliation before any sales pitch, and cannot misrepresent goods, ignore posted No Solicitors signs, refuse to leave when asked, use noisemakers audible beyond a 75-foot radius, work school grounds without consent, or solicit in groups larger than two per residence. Credit or cash sales over $25 trigger a written buyer's right to cancel under Wis. 203.