Rochester, Minnesota: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes — each individual door-to-door salesperson must register with the city clerk and carry a signed permit before going house to house; the requirement applies to each person, not just the company (§ 5-14-2(a)).
• Where it comes from: The City Clerk's office issues the permit, after the applicant's information is referred to the police department for investigation (§ 5-14-5(d), § 5-14-6).
• Fee: $75, listed as "Peddlers" on the City Clerk section of Rochester's 2026 Schedule of Fees and Charges. The chapter itself does not print a dollar figure — it says fees are set each year in the city's fee schedule (§ 5-14-5(c)).
• Hours you may knock: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. — the code makes it unlawful to engage in the regulated activity "between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m." (§ 5-14-2(c)).
• What the rep carries: The signed permit, in the rep's possession while working. Refusing to show it to a city official or police officer is grounds for suspension or revocation of the permit (§ 5-14-2(a), § 5-14-8(4)).
• What takes the time: The police department's investigation of the applicant before the city clerk will register them (§ 5-14-5(d), § 5-14-6).
• Code: Rochester City Code, Chapter 5-14, Door-to-Door Sales and Solicitations (§ 5-14-1 – § 5-14-16). The Municode host shows this chapter current through May 21, 2026.
• Worth knowing: A permit automatically expires 30 days after it is issued, so any campaign running longer than that needs re-registration (§ 5-14-14). The city can suspend or revoke an individual peddler's permit after three or more resident complaints about conduct or about failing to produce a valid permit (§ 5-14-8(9)).
• Read it yourself: Rochester City Code Chapter 5-14 · City of Rochester 2026 Schedule of Fees and Charges · checked 19 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down: Does the $75 fee cover the full 30-day permit only, or is there a way to register a crew for a longer season without repaying per rep? How long does the police department investigation usually take before a permit is issued? Is the $75 fee charged per individual rep even when several reps work for the same company? Clerk’s name ______________   Direct line ______________   Date called ______________