Auburn, Alabama: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes — a six-month certificate of registration from the city before soliciting at residences (16-22(a)). Soliciting includes seeking orders for goods or services (16-21). Each natural person soliciting must obtain a certificate, so one per rep (16-22(i)).
• Where it comes from: The City of Auburn, on the city's standard form; the certificate is executed by the city manager or his designee (16-22(a), (b)). The revenue department handles suspension notices (16-32(b)).
• Fee: Seventy-five dollars ($75.00) per rep, paid in cash or cash equivalent, for six months; renewal is another $75.00 (16-22(a), (h)). The section adds that all other city business license fees still apply, including the business license required of transient vendors (16-22(a)).
• Hours you may knock: Central time. September through May, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; June through August, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Sundays, 12:00 noon—6:00 p.m. No door-to-door solicitation on holidays recognized by the city, and no one, registered or not, may solicit at a residence before 8:00 a.m. (16-30).
• What the rep carries: A legible copy of the certificate, worn and visible at all times while soliciting, and shown on request to the occupant, a police officer or a city license and tax examiner (16-22(a)). The permit must be carried in plain sight on the body (16-29(d)).
• What takes the time: A criminal background history from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, or an agency the city manager approves, obtained within the last ninety (90) days; two passport-sized photos taken within sixty (60) days; and photo ID shown in person (16-22(a), (b), (d)). No certificate for anyone convicted of a federal or state felony (16-25). Registration is complete when the city issues the certificate, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed (16-22(e)); no processing time is published.
• Code: Code of the City of Auburn, Chapter 16 — Peddlers, Solicitors, Etc., Article II — Solicitation Regulations (16-21 to 16-32). Municode shows the code codified through Ordinance No. 3555, enacted October 21, 2025 (Supp. No. 90).
• Worth knowing: A "No Soliciting" placard at a home, or at the main entrance of a subdivision, is notice to every solicitor; the rep must check the entrance and move on, and a certificate does not excuse it (16-28, 16-29). A rep asked to leave must leave at once (16-29(c)). The certificate names the organizations the rep may solicit for; soliciting for any other firm is a violation (16-22(i)).
• Read it yourself: Code of the City of Auburn, Chapter 16 — Peddlers, Solicitors, Etc. · Code of the City of Auburn — landing page · checked 22 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down:

• Which office takes the solicitor application (revenue office or city manager's office), and how many days it takes
• Whether the company also needs an Auburn business license, and at what fee, before its reps register
• Whether an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency background history from an online request is accepted

Clerk’s name ______________ Direct line ______________ Date called ______________