Peddler/Solicitor/Transient Merchant Permits

City of Ames Peddler/Solicitor/Transient Merchant Permits cost $35 per person and are valid for 60 days from the date of issuance.

Activities Requiring a Permit

• Each and every person engaged in residence-to-residence solicitation of orders for goods or services, or in residence-to-residence peddling of things carried along for sale, and who does not have any indoor place in the city where he/she conducts the same selling of goods and services on a continuous and permanent basis.
• Each and every person who, for the purposes of selling goods or services, occupies a place out of doors (other than on public property) or occupies an indoor place on an intermittent or temporary basis only, provided the person does not have any indoor place in the city where he or she conducts the same selling of goods and services on a continuous and permanent basis. 
• Each and every person engaged in residence-to-residence solicitation of gifts or donations who is not associated with a permanent office or home in the city where someone will receive and respond to inquiries for information and identification. 

Activities Not Requiring a Permit 

• Those whose activities are subject to the provisions of street vendors regulations (as found in Sections 22.11 through 22.23 of the Ames Municipal Code).
• Persons who make regularly scheduled route deliveries in residential areas of goods or services (e.g. newspaper carriers, lawn services, cable television service, dairy product delivery service). 
• Non-profit groups or events associated with some permanent office or home in the city where someone will receive and respond to inquiries for information about the sale or solicitation and identification of the persons involved.

Further information can be found in Section 17.26 of the Ames Municipal Code. Sellers should be aware that a state sales tax number or tax exemption number is required in order to obtain a City permit. If needed, these may be obtained from the Iowa Department of Revenue. Click on the following link to learn more: Iowa Department of Revenue Sales Tax Use Guide. 

Click on the following links to access the appropriate permit application.