Gilbert, Arizona: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes — a town business license, held as a “transient merchant.” House-to-house selling and order-taking is in the definition (14-166), and working without the license is unlawful (14-168(a)). The usual employee exemption is written to leave transient merchants out (14-36(f)(4)), so plan on each rep being asked for one. The town's Business License FAQ says the same: for peddling or soliciting, "You will need to obtain a Transient Merchant Business License from Gilbert."
• Where it comes from: The development services director takes the application and routes it to the code compliance manager (14-38).
• Fee: $50 a year for a Transient Merchant license, or $30 per event for a Transient Merchant Special Event, per the town's Business License Fees table (last amended by Resolution 4563, effective July 1, 2025). The town's Business License FAQ gives a different annual figure: "$30 per event or $55 for an annual license". The two town pages disagree on the annual price, and the FAQ figures sit in its special-event vendor answers; the peddling and soliciting answer names the same license without repeating a price. The code itself sets no dollar figure: a nonrefundable license fee "in an amount established by the council by resolution" (14-38(a)(1)).
• Hours you may knock: Article VI sets no knocking hours. Nothing in 14-166 to 14-173 gives a start or stop time.
• What the rep carries: The license, carried at all times and shown on request to the development services director, a police officer or the code compliance manager, plus personal identification (14-42(b)).
• What takes the time: The application asks for a conviction statement, names used in the last five years, and proof of age with a government photo ID (14-168(b)). The town has 30 days from the date on the application to approve or deny; after that it is deemed approved (14-38(b)). Licenses run one year (14-36(c)). The town's FAQ says most standard applications are processed within 7 business days and that other license types may have a different timeline.
• Code: Gilbert Code of Ordinances Chapter 14, Article II (14-36 to 14-47) and Article VI, Transient Merchants (14-166 to 14-173). Municode shows the version dated Sep 11, 2026 as current.
• Worth knowing: Do not knock where a sign says no peddlers, no solicitors or canvassers, no transient merchants, or no trespassing (14-171). After three written notices for the same address in a year, the next one is a civil sanction of not less than $500.00 per count (14-173). A rep invited by the owner or occupant is exempt from the article (14-167).
• Read it yourself: Gilbert Code Chapter 14, Article VI, Transient Merchants · Gilbert Code Chapter 14, Article II, Business Licenses · Town of Gilbert, Business License FAQ · Town of Gilbert, Business License Fees table · checked 19 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down: Is the annual transient merchant license $50 (the fee table) or $55 (the FAQ), and is it per rep or per company? Whether each door-to-door rep needs their own license or one company license covers the crew; Whether the town enforces any knocking hours outside Article VI. Clerk’s name ______________   Direct line ______________   Date called ______________