Simi Valley, California: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes. Anyone acting as a solicitor, canvasser, peddler, hawker or transient merchant in Simi Valley must get a Solicitor's Permit from the Chief of Police before doing business (5-12.02).
• Where it comes from: Simi Valley Municipal Code Title 5, Chapter 12 (Itinerant Hawkers, Peddlers, Solicitors, and Merchants). Apply in person at City Hall, Administrative Services Department; the Chief of Police issues the permit.
• Fee: The city's Summary of Service Charges effective July 1, 2025 lists the Solicitor's Permit Fee as “New $ 240.85” and “Renewal $ 96.34”. The code itself (5-12.11) says the fee is set by Council resolution, and exempts seniors over 65, juveniles under 18, and qualifying disabled veterans.
• Hours you may knock: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. — the code bars going to or entering a residence, hotel or dwelling "between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m." to solicit, unless the occupant invites it (5-12.15).
• What the rep carries: A half or full sheet laminated photographic identification permit, which must be shown whenever a law enforcement officer or the person being solicited asks to see it (5-12.14).
• What takes the time: A completed written application plus a Live Scan fingerprint; the city says permits are issued or denied within 10 days of receiving results from the Department of Justice, and the code sets a 10-working-day issuance deadline after a complete application (5-12.08).
• Code: Simi Valley Municipal Code 5-12.01 through 5-12.22 (Itinerant Hawkers, Peddlers, Solicitors, and Merchants). Code current through Ordinance No. 1367, adopted March 9, 2026, effective April 8, 2026.
• Worth knowing: A posted sign prohibiting solicitation, or showing the owner's wish not to be solicited, bars a rep from that address (5-12.16). Reps also may not solicit within a quarter mile of an elementary, junior high or high school between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on a school day (5-12.18).
• Read it yourself: Simi Valley Municipal Code Chapter 5-12 · City of Simi Valley Solicitor's Permit page · City of Simi Valley Summary of Service Charges, effective July 1, 2025 · checked 19 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down: Whether a Home Occupation Permit is also required if any rep lives in the City; How the Live Scan fingerprint appointment is scheduled and how long results typically take. Clerk’s name ______________   Direct line ______________   Date called ______________