Do you need a permit to sell door to door in San Diego, CA?
Short answer: No, not in practice. San Diego's municipal code still prints a police registration rule for door-to-door solicitors, but a 2022 police department order tells officers to stop enforcing it and says no permits are required, issued or administered under it.
| Permit required? | No permit in practice. Municipal Code chapter 3, article 3, division 14 (sections 33.1401 to 33.1411) still says solicitors must register with the Police Department and carry an identification card. San Diego Police Department Order 22-02 (January 19, 2022) says officers continue to cease enforcement of those sections and that no permits shall be required, issued, or administered under them. The City Treasurer's Office stopped issuing and renewing solicitor permits on January 1, 2019. |
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| City code | San Diego Municipal Code chapter 3, article 3, division 14, sections 33.1401 to 33.1411 (Solicitors, Peddlers and Interviewers) |
The division's text on the city's website is a February 2004 printing. It also contains an 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. ban on soliciting and a rule to leave when a No Solicitors notice is posted (sections 33.1407 to 33.1410). Because the police order covers all of sections 33.1401 to 33.1411, those are not listed here as rules you will be cited under. The same order says the traffic obstruction rule in section 63.0102(b)(25) is unaffected. Questions go to the SDPD Vice Permits and Licensing Unit, 619-531-2274.
What to do before you knock in San Diego
- Ask your company which state or industry licenses apply to what you sell, and whether neighboring cities in your territory require a permit.
- Carry a government-issued photo ID and your company ID while you work.
- Respect No Soliciting signs and the allowed hours. A complaint can cost you the permit.
- Give every customer the cancellation notice federal law requires (see permits and laws).
Sources
- San Diego Police Department Order OR 22-02: Enforcement of Soliciting Laws (January 19, 2022)
- San Diego Municipal Code chapter 3, article 3, division 14: Solicitors, Peddlers and Interviewers
- San Diego City Clerk: Municipal Code chapter 3 index
Checked 2026-11-06 against the sources above. Cities change these rules; confirm with the city before you start. This page is general information, not legal advice.
San Diego door-to-door questions
Do you need a permit to sell door to door in San Diego?
No, not in practice. San Diego's municipal code still prints a police registration rule for door-to-door solicitors, but a 2022 police department order tells officers to stop enforcing it and says no permits are required, issued or administered under it.
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