Solicitor/Peddler/Transient Merchant License

Overview

Anyone in East Bethel planning to go door-to-door to fundraise or sell a product or service must first apply for a solicitors or peddlers license. Peddlers and solicitors must have the license on them at all times. This license issued by the City of East Bethel is not an endorsement of the solicitor’s product. The objective of the ordinance is to aid the city in monitoring the activity of door-to-door solicitation. Door-to-door sales are prohibited before 9 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

Those who go door-to-door to distribute literature but who aren’t selling anything, asking for donations, or engaging the homeowner in conversation, do not need a license. The license requirement does not apply to candidates for political office, schools, cub scouts, or girl scouts.

Code Requirements

See Chapter 18, Article V of the East Bethel City Code for information about solicitors, peddlers, and transient merchants. All license holders are required to be familiar with the provisions of the City Code and with applicable Minnesota Statutes and federal regulations.

Application Requirements

All licenses are issued per individual, not per business and/or organization:

• Completed application form
• Completed background check form
• Copy of a valid photo ID
• Required fee

Information for Homeowners & Business Owners

• Be careful of whom you let in your home.
• Remind your teenage children on how to deal with strangers and rules of safety, as they may answer the door when you’re not home.
• Direct complaints about business practices to the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota at 651-699-1111.
• Check contractor references at the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry website.
• If you do not wish to receive solicitors, posting a sign stating, "Peddlers and Solicitors Prohibited" is enforceable per East Bethel ordinance. The sign must be at least 4 inches long by 4 inches in height and the printing shall not be smaller than 48 point type font.

The following businesses currently possess a valid Solicitor/Peddler/Transient Merchant License:

The records listed above are public and may be inspected by anyone during regular business hours. The City of East Bethel believes the data presented here to be accurate, however the City in no way guarantees the completeness or accuracy of this data. The data shown here is provided for informational purposes only, and does not imply any endorsement by the city. If you have questions regarding the information presented here, please contact the City of East Bethel at 763-367-7840.

Immediately call 911 to report the following violations:

• A solicitor selling for a profit organization who does not display the East Bethel solicitor/peddler/transient merchant license.
• A solicitor refuses to leave property after you have told them to leave.