St. Louis, Missouri: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes. Each “drummer, solicitor, or canvasser” needs a license from the License Collector, per individual. The definition covers anyone going place to place taking orders for goods or “for service to be furnished or performed in the future” (8.06.452).
• Where it comes from: The License Collector of the City of St. Louis issues the certificate of license and the badge (8.06.452).
• Fee: Per rep, in the code’s own words: “One dollar per day, ten dollars per month, fifteen dollars per year.” Moving a license to another employee of the same company costs “a fee of one dollar” (8.06.452). The code prints these in words, not figures; confirm the current charge with the License Collector.
• Hours you may knock: The code sets no knocking hours for commercial solicitors. The 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. rule in Chapter 8.84 (8.84.070) applies to charitable street solicitation permits, not door-to-door sales.
• What the rep carries: The certificate of license inside the badge the License Collector provides, carried on the person at all times while working and shown to any police officer or city tax official who asks (8.06.452).
• What takes the time: The bond. Each applicant must “give bond in the sum of one thousand dollars with an acceptable surety,” plus an application listing home addresses for the last five years, the products sold and the principal’s name (8.06.452). No processing time is published.
• Code: Revised Code of the City of St. Louis 8.06.452 (Drummer, solicitor, or canvasser); 8.06.552 and 8.06.562 point magazine agents and transient solicitors to the same section. Municode shows the version dated Jun 17, 2026 as current.
• Worth knowing: A licensed St. Louis merchant or manufacturer that buys licenses for its reps gets a credit for that amount on the occupational part of next year’s license tax, if it surrenders the reps’ licenses and receipts with the return (8.06.452).
• Read it yourself: St. Louis Revised Code 8.06.452, Drummer, solicitor, or canvasser · St. Louis Revised Code Chapter 8.84, Solicitations · checked 18 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down: What is the current license charge per rep, and is it still the amount in 8.06.452? What surety bond form do you accept, and can one bond cover a whole crew? How long from application to badge? Does the city enforce any knocking hours or a no-soliciting sign rule? Clerk’s name ______________   Direct line ______________   Date called ______________