Syracuse, New York: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes — a Solicitor's License for the company, plus a badge for each assistant/rep who goes door to house or business to business (§ 9-138).
• Where it comes from: The Department of Finance (Central Permit Office) issues the license and runs a criminal background check on every solicitor and assistant (§ 9-140).
• Fee: $350 per year for the company's Solicitor's License, plus $100 for each assistant's badge — the license holder's own badge is included at no extra charge (§ 9-142.1, § 9-142.5, § 9-142.6).
• Hours you may knock: No business in a residential neighborhood between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. the next morning — in effect, the door is open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (§ 9-143.1). A separate, looser rule bars business in any street between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
• What the rep carries: A badge with the license number, the rep's name and photo, and the expiration date, worn in a conspicuous place while doing business — no licensee may work without it (§ 9-142.5, § 9-142.6).
• What takes the time: A criminal background check on every solicitor and assistant, screened against specific felony (past 5 years) and misdemeanor (past 2 years) convictions before a license is approved (§ 9-140(7)).
• Code: Syracuse Revised General Ordinances, Ch. 9, Art. 12, Solicitors (§ 9-137 – § 9-144).
• Worth knowing: The city keeps a "No Solicitors" list at the Central Permit Office; entering a property posted with a "No Solicitors" sign is unlawful whether the rep is licensed or not (§ 9-143.2).
• Read it yourself: Syracuse Revised General Ordinances, Chapter 9, Article 12 — Solicitors · City of Syracuse Central Permit Office — Solicitors License Instructions · checked 19 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down: How many business days the background check adds before a license is issued; Whether a change in the crew's assistant roster mid-season needs new applications or can be added to the existing license; Whether the 9 p.m.-to-8 a.m. streets rule or the 6 p.m.-to-10 a.m. residential rule governs a suburban residential block. Clerk’s name ______________   Direct line ______________   Date called ______________