Abilene, Texas: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes. It is unlawful to solicit within the City without first obtaining a permit from the City License Officer (the City Secretary), unless exempted by state or federal law (§ 28-2, § 28-11).
• Where it comes from: The Office of the City Secretary, acting as City License Officer.
• Fee: $50.00 for a 30-day original permit (or $100.00 for a 1-year permit, local businesses only), plus $30.00 for each additional solicitor beyond the applicant, per the city's own Solicitation Permit Application form. The code itself (§ 28-15) says only that fees are "determined from time to time and placed on file in the office of the City License Officer."
• Hours you may knock: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. — solicitation at private residences is unlawful between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. unless the property owner has posted otherwise or given a prior invitation (§ 28-4).
• What the rep carries: The permit itself, conspicuously displayed to the front and visible to whomever the rep is speaking with the whole time they solicit (§ 28-12).
• What takes the time: The application requires a valid state driver's license or photo ID and a criminal-history release, and the city's own form says processing can take up to five business days. The code (as amended by Ord. No. 27-2026, effective 4-9-26) requires the City License Officer to issue the permit within ten business days unless grounds for denial exist (§ 28-14, § 28-17). The 30-day permit expires 30 days from issuance (§ 28-19).
• Code: Abilene Code of Ordinances, Chapter 28 — Solicitations (§ 28-1 through § 28-31).
• Worth knowing: It is unlawful to solicit where the owner has posted "no solicitation" at the entry, or to use any entrance to a residence other than the front door (§ 28-5). A violation is a Class C misdemeanor with a fine up to $500 (§ 28-31). A permit can be denied for a felony or relevant misdemeanor conviction, a falsified application, being a registered sex offender, or a permit revocation within the past three years (§ 28-21).
• Read it yourself: Abilene Code of Ordinances, Ch. 28 — Solicitations · City of Abilene — Solicitation Permit Application form (PDF) · checked 19 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down: Whether an out-of-town company qualifies for the $100 one-year permit or is limited to the 30-day $50 permit (the form limits the annual option to businesses headquartered inside city limits); Whether the $30 per-additional-solicitor fee is paid once per crew or must be renewed with each new 30-day permit cycle. Clerk’s name ______________   Direct line ______________   Date called ______________