Peddlers, Transient Merchants, and Solicitors

Mobile Food Unit (Food Truck)  Either (i) a self-contained food service operation located in a motorized wheeled or towed vehicle that is readily movable without disassembling, and that is used to store, prepare, display, or serve food intended for individual portion service, regardless of whether such food is prepackaged or prepared within said vehicle; or (ii) mobile food unit as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 157.15, subd. 9, as it may be amended from time to time.  Mobile food units, as that term is defined in section 10-342, are not considered transient merchants for purposes of this article. - Permit required.  Click HERE for Application to Apply for Mobile Food Unit Permit (Non-Refundable $30 Fee).  

Peddler means a person who goes from house to house, door to door, business to business, street to street, or any other type of place to place for the purpose of offering for sale, selling or attempting to sell, and delivering immediately upon sale the goods, wares, products, merchandise, or other personal property that the person is carrying or transporting; the term does not include vendors of milk, bakery products or groceries who distribute their products to regular customers on established routes.  Permit required.  It is unlawful to engage in the business of peddler or transient merchant in the city without first obtaining a permit.  Click HERE for Application to Apply for Permit (Non-Refundable $55 Fee)

Transient merchant means a person, whether as owner, agent, consignee, or employee who engages in a temporary business out of a vehicle, trailer, box car, tent, other portable shelter, store front, or from a parking lot for the purpose of displaying for sale, selling or attempting to sell, and delivering goods, wares, products, merchandise or other personal property and who does not remain or intend to remain in any one location for more than four consecutive days as part of four sale events each year. It is unlawful to engage in the business of peddler or transient merchant in the city without first obtaining a permit.  
Click HERE for Application to Apply for Permit (Non-Refundable $55 Fee) 

Solicitor means a person who goes from house to house, door to door, business to business, street to street, or any other type of place to place for the purpose of obtaining or attempting to obtain orders for the sale of goods, wares, or merchandise including magazines, books, periodicals, other personal property or services of which they may be carrying or transporting samples, or that may be described in a catalog or by other means, and for which delivery or performance shall occur at a later time. The absence of samples or catalogs shall not remove a person from the scope of these provisions if the actual purpose of the person’s activity is to obtain or attempt to obtain orders as discussed above. Permit not required.  Solicitors need not obtain a permit but are required to register with the city unless exempt.  Either exempt (see below) or need to register.  Click HERE for Application to Register (No Fee)

 Exemptions. No permit or registration under this article shall be required for the following, although such exemptions shall not excuse any person from complying with any other applicable statutory provision or local ordinance:

1. Any person selling or attempting to sell, or taking or attempting to take orders for, any product grown, produced, cultivated, or raised on any farm.
2. Any person selling or attempting to sell at wholesale any goods, wares, products, merchandise, or other personal property to a retail seller of the items being sold by the wholesaler.
3. Any person making deliveries of newspapers, newsletters, or other similar publications on an established customer delivery route, when attempting to establish a regular delivery route, or when publications are delivered to the community at large.
4. Any person conducting the type of sale commonly known as garage sales, rummage sales, or estate sales.
5. Any person participating in an organized multi-person farmers’ market, bazaar or marketplace.
6. Any person going from house to house, door to door, business to business, street to street, or any other type of place to place movement for the primary purpose of exercising that person’s state or federal constitutional rights such as the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and the like. This exemption will not apply if the person’s exercise of such constitutional rights is merely incidental to what would otherwise be considered a commercial activity.
7. Any organization, society, association, or corporation with a non-profit status approved by the state or federal government desiring to solicit or to have solicited in its name money, donations of money or property, or financial assistance of any kind or desiring to sell or distribute any item of literature or merchandise for which a fee is charged or solicited from persons for a charitable, religious, patriotic, or philanthropic purpose by going from house to house, door to door, business to business, street to street, or other type of place to place, or when such activity is for the purpose of exercising that person’s state or federal constitutional rights relating to the free exercise of religion or speech. Professional fundraisers working on behalf of an otherwise exempt person or group shall not be exempt from the permitting or registration requirements of this article.

Any questions should be directed to Vicky Sons-Eiden, City Clerk, at 952-448-8727.