Lansing, Michigan: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes — a canvasser's or solicitor's license from the City Clerk before anyone works door to door (844.02). The code's canvasser or solicitor is anyone going house to house taking orders for goods for future delivery or for services to be performed in the future (844.01). Each licensee gets a photo ID badge (844.06).
• Where it comes from: The Lansing City Clerk, 9th floor of City Hall, on a sworn application. The Clerk refers it to the Chief of Police and the City Treasurer for investigation, then issues the license once the fee is paid (844.03, 844.04). The Clerk's Business Licenses page takes the Canvasser / Street Peddler application online or on paper.
• Fee: The code leaves the fee to a Council resolution (844.05). The Clerk's Canvasser/Street Peddler application lists an annual non-refundable license fee of $125.00 per business, a criminal history record check fee of $25.00 per person to be licensed, and a $1,000.00 bond. A paper application adds a $25.00 paper submission fee; photos taken in the Clerk's office are $10. The bond is in the code too: an indemnity bond of $1,000.00 must be on file before any license issues (844.13).
• Hours you may knock: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. or sunset, whichever is earlier — no peddler, solicitor or canvasser may work after 8:00 p.m. or sunset, whichever is earlier, and before 9:00 a.m. of any day (844.12).
• What the rep carries: The photo ID badge, displayed conspicuously while working (844.06), and the license, shown to any resident who asks (844.09) or any police officer (844.10). Neither may be used by anyone else (844.07).
• What takes the time: Fingerprints, three 2-by-2 photos taken within 60 days, a criminal-history statement and a notarized sworn application (844.03); a police and City Treasurer investigation (844.04); and the bond (844.13). The application adds a Treasury information form and a criminal history check authorization for each person. No processing time is published.
• Code: Lansing Codified Ordinances, Chapter 844 — Peddlers, Solicitors and Transient Merchants, Article I (844.01 to 844.18), Ord. No. 1139, 5-4-09.
• Worth knowing: Annual licenses expire one year from the date of issue (844.17). No peddling or soliciting in parks (844.16). A violation is a municipal civil infraction (844.18). Chapter 844 has no "No Soliciting" sign rule.
• Read it yourself: Lansing Codified Ordinances, Chapter 844 — Peddlers, Solicitors and Transient Merchants · Lansing City Clerk — Canvasser/Street Peddler License Application (PDF) · Lansing City Clerk — Business Licenses · checked 21 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down:

• Whether the $125.00 license fee covers every rep for one business, or whether each rep needs a separate license under the one business fee
• Whether one $1,000.00 bond covers the whole company or each rep
• How long the police and Treasurer investigation takes

Clerk’s name ______________ Direct line ______________ Date called ______________