Victoria, Texas: door-to-door solicitor permit

• The answer: Yes — an itinerant vendor permit from the city secretary, applied for separately by each individual, before selling goods or services house to house (14-52(A)). A sale includes orders for future payment or delivery, and services count (14-50).
• Where it comes from: The city secretary takes the application and issues the permit once the chief of police approves it after a background investigation (14-52(C), 14-53).
• Fee: The fee chapter lists "Itinerant vendors — Permit fee" at 80.00; the table prints the $ sign only on its first line (24-21(D)). The applicant also pays any fees for the police investigation (14-53(A)); the police fee list shows a criminal records check at $7.50 and fingerprinting at $5.00 for the first card and $2.00 for each additional card (24-13). The code does not say which of those police fees apply to this permit.
• Hours you may knock: No selling or soliciting at a private residence between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise without a prior invitation from the occupants (14-55(B)).
• What the rep carries: The permit, at all times, shown on demand to any citizen, fire inspector or police officer (14-55(A)). The permit carries the rep's name and photo and the company's name (14-53(C)).
• What takes the time: A sworn application with two forms of ID (one a state photo ID or driver's license), credit references, the last three cities worked, the state sales tax permit number and consent to a records check (14-52(C), (D)). The investigation includes fingerprinting and a local, state and national criminal records check, by the police department or a third-party vendor the chief approves (14-53(A)). No processing time is published. The permit lasts six months and renewal repeats the full application (14-54(A), (B)).
• Code: Victoria Code of Ordinances, Chapter 14, Article III — Itinerant Vendors, Solicitors, Outdoor Sales, and Mobile Food Vendors (14-50 to 14-62); fees in Chapter 24 (24-13, 24-21). Municode shows the code codified through Ordinance No. 2026-253, adopted January 20, 2026 (Supp. No. 42).
• Worth knowing: No selling or soliciting where a sign such as "NO SOLICITORS" is posted (14-55(C)). The chief of police must deny a permit for certain listed offenses, a fraud judgment in the past five years, or a false statement on the application (14-53(B)). Sales for a 501(c)(3) that operates in Victoria County are exempt (14-52(F)).
• Read it yourself: Victoria Code, Chapter 14 — Occupational Licenses, Taxes and Regulations (Article III) · Victoria Code, Chapter 24 — Fees · Victoria Code of Ordinances — landing page · checked 23 September 2026

Ask the clerk, and write the answer down:

• Whether the 80.00 permit fee in 24-21 is the whole cost, or whether the fingerprint and records-check fees are charged on top
• How many business days the police investigation takes
• Whether the company needs anything of its own, or only each rep

Clerk’s name ______________ Direct line ______________ Date called ______________