Milpitas, California: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes — a city business license under the transient vendor rate. It covers anyone without a fixed place of business in a commercial or industrial zone who goes to private residences uninvited to sell or take orders for goods or services (III-1-17.04). It is a tax on individuals, employee or not, so one per rep (17.04-1).
• Where it comes from: The license tax collector (III-1-2.05, III-1-23.01), run through the Finance department's Business License Center, 408-586-3100.
• Fee: An annual license tax of One Hundred Dollars per rep (III-1-17.04). It is due in advance on the first day of January, and the transient vendor rate is left out of quarterly proration for new individuals (III-1-16.01). Any current processing or state fees on top are not stated in the chapter.
• Hours you may knock: Neither the business license chapter nor Chapter V-15 sets knocking hours.
• What the rep carries: The license, shown on demand of the license tax collector, a deputy or any police officer; willfully failing to exhibit it is unlawful (III-1-23.04).
• What takes the time: Every transient vendor applicant is fingerprinted at the time of application, and the prints may be sent to city, county, state or federal agencies for a criminal history report (III-1-8.03). An applicant with a prior business-regulation or property-crime conviction may be required to post a Faithful Performance Bond, or a cash deposit, of Five Hundred Dollars (III-1-10.02). No processing time is published.
• Code: Milpitas Municipal Code, Title III, Chapter 1 — Business Licenses (III-1-17.04 Transient Vendors) and Title V, Chapter 15 — Residential Trespass, Canvassing and Solicitation. Municode shows Supplement 60, codified through Ordinance 38.858, online content updated August 4, 2026.
• Worth knowing: No soliciting on residential property posted with a "No Soliciting" or similar sign (V-15-3.02); the sign needs letters at least two inches high at the door, the walk, the gate or the mailbox (V-15-3.05). The company a rep knocks for is jointly liable for each violation unless it gave the rep a written advisement with a copy of the chapter, signed before going door to door (V-15-3.09). A resident may sue, with a statutory penalty up to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation (V-15-3.11).
• Read it yourself: Milpitas Municipal Code, Title III, Chapter 1 — Business Licenses · Milpitas Municipal Code, Title V, Chapter 15 — Residential Trespass, Canvassing and Solicitation · City of Milpitas — Business License Center · Milpitas Code of Ordinances — landing page · checked 22 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down:

• Whether door-to-door reps for a licensed out-of-town company each still need their own transient vendor license under III-1-17.04
• The total charged today for a transient vendor license, including any processing or state fees
• Where reps are fingerprinted and how many business days the license takes

Clerk’s name ______________ Direct line ______________ Date called ______________