Alexandria, Virginia: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes. Anyone traveling house to house taking or attempting to take orders for goods, subscriptions or "services to be furnished or performed in the future" is a "canvasser or solicitor" and needs a certificate of registration before working (9-10-21, 9-10-22).
• Where it comes from: Alexandria City Code Title 9, Chapter 10, Article B, Solicitation for Noncharitable Purposes. The application goes to the city police department; the certificate is issued by the chief of police (9-10-23, 9-10-26).
• Fee: $10, paid to the director of finance before the application is even considered, to cover the cost of the police investigation (9-10-24). No separate fee for the certificate itself is stated.
• Hours you may knock: Not published. Article B sets no clock-time or sunset limit on when a canvasser or solicitor may work.
• What the rep carries: The certificate, at all times while soliciting, and it must be shown on request to any householder or law enforcement officer (9-10-30). The certificate itself carries the holder's name and photo, the employer's name, and the issue and expiration dates (9-10-27).
• What takes the time: The applicant is photographed and fingerprinted by the police department (9-10-23(b)-(c)), and the chief of police runs a background investigation before deciding (9-10-25). The certificate is due within 16 days of filing unless denied (9-10-26(a)). A $1,000 surety bond must also be filed with the chief of police before the applicant can work (9-10-29).
• Code: Alexandria City Code 9-10-21 through 9-10-34 (Title 9, Chapter 10, Article B).
• Worth knowing: The certificate is good for one year at most, is not transferable, and automatically expires the moment the holder changes employers, so a rep who switches companies needs a new certificate (9-10-28). A certificate can be denied to anyone with a felony or moral-turpitude conviction, more than one misdemeanor, or a prior conviction for fraud in soliciting (9-10-26(a)).
• Read it yourself: Alexandria City Code Title 9, Chapter 10, Article B · checked 19 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down: Are there any locally observed knocking hours even though none are written in Article B? Does the $10 fee cover the full cost, or are there additional fees (bond premium, photo/fingerprint fee) collected at the police department? How is the $1,000 surety bond typically obtained, and can a company file one blanket bond covering its whole sales crew? Clerk’s name ______________   Direct line ______________   Date called ______________