Richland, Washington: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes — a solicitor or canvasser license for each person going house to house taking orders for goods or for services to be performed now or later (5.12.020, 5.12.030).
• Where it comes from: The finance director takes the written application; the chief of police investigates the applicant's character and business responsibility, and the finance director issues the license on approval (5.12.040, 5.12.060).
• Fee: The license is $10.00 for 30 days or $30.00 for 90 days (5.12.080). The application carries a $12.00 investigation fee, and applicants with a Washington address of a year or more pay $12.00 for a Washington State Patrol background investigation (5.12.050). The code does not say whether those two $12.00 charges are the same fee.
• Hours you may knock: Chapter 5.12 sets no knocking hours.
• What the rep carries: The license, at all times while soliciting, shown to any police officer or any person solicited who asks (5.12.140). Every order is written in duplicate with the rep's name as on the license, the employer's name and address, the terms and the amount paid in advance, and one copy goes to the buyer (5.12.130).
• What takes the time: A sworn application with picture ID, two Washington-resident references, a statement of any convictions, and the employer's name and address; a police warrants check for everyone; and reps from out of state bring a current state patrol background check for every state lived in during the past 12 months (5.12.050). No processing time is published.
• Code: Richland Municipal Code, Chapter 5.12 — Soliciting and Canvassing (5.12.010 to 5.12.180). Code Publishing shows the code current through Ordinance 2026-04, passed March 3, 2026.
• Worth knowing: The rep's employer must hold a Washington State master business license and a Richland business license (5.12.050(D)), and the solicitor license is in addition to any other licenses (5.12.160).
• Read it yourself: Richland Municipal Code, Chapter 5.12 — Soliciting and Canvassing · Richland Municipal Code — landing page · checked 23 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down:

• Whether the $12.00 investigation fee and the $12.00 State Patrol background fee are one charge or two
• Whether any bond is required, since 5.12.060 mentions the filing of bond but the chapter sets none
• Whether the city limits door-to-door hours anywhere outside Chapter 5.12
• How many business days the police investigation takes

Clerk’s name ______________ Direct line ______________ Date called ______________