The Doorstep Playbook

Door-to-Door Permit Rules in Iowa: 2 Cities Checked

So far 2 cities in Iowa have been checked. Each one links to its own card, which cites the ordinance and shows the date it was checked.

Cedar Rapids

  • Permit: Yes — a Solicitor License, for anyone who "initiates or attempts to initiate personal contact with other persons at or near residences or businesses...in an apparent effort to solicit or attempt to solicit monies or orders for goods, services, subscriptions, or merchandise" ( 42.01(l), 42.02(a) ).
  • Fee: $170 for the annual license plus $15 for the Iowa criminal history background check ($50 of that is non-refundable if the license is denied) — per the City Clerk's Vendor Licenses page. On top of that, a $1,000 surety bond (42.04) and proof of general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence (42.05) are required.
  • Hours you may knock: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., every day, and not at all on a federal holiday unless the City Manager specifically approves it (42.11(a)).
  • Checked: 19 September 2026

Des Moines

  • Permit: Yes — a Peddler's License is required before going door-to-door, whether selling goods or taking orders for later delivery ( Sec. 78-26, 78-27 ).
  • Fee: $20 per week, $50 per month, or $100 for three months for the license, plus a cash bond of $200 per person (or $1000 for an employer with five or more license applicants), per the City Clerk's Peddler's License Application.
  • Hours you may knock: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. — the code bars peddling between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. (Sec. 78-35(d)).
  • Checked: 19 September 2026

Back to the Permit Lookup

City not on this list? The City Clerk Call Sheet has the eight questions to ask any city.