Soliciting or Selling door to door in the Borough: It is unlawful for any individual to solicit funds, peddle, canvass, or take orders either by sample or otherwise, for any goods, wares or merchandise, upon any street, alley, sidewalk or public place, or from house to house in the Borough without first obtaining a license from the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Dept. The following are exempt:
(1) Farmers selling their own products;
(2) Persons soliciting funds or selling goods, wares or merchandise, donated by the owner thereof, where the funds or proceeds of sale are to be applied exclusively for a charitable purpose;
(3) Representatives and members of Girl Scouts of America, Boy Scouts of America, Lions, Rotary, Kiwanis, American Association of Retired Persons, Disabled American Veterans, Y.W.C.A. and Y.M.C.A., Y.W.H.A., Y.M.H.A., Red Cross Salvation Army and other national and international service organizations and associations existing for the benefit of youth, aged, handicapped or stricken and soliciting or selling for the purpose of self perpetuation and who may be registered as charitable organizations with the State or Federal Government;
(4) Manufacturers or producers of bread and bakery products, meat and meat products, or milk or mild products, who sell their own products;
(5) Insurance and real estate agents and brokers licenses by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
(6) Individuals distributing sales literature “door hangings” if there is no attempt to contact the homeowner business occupant.
If you see suspicious door to door sales or have a question about a door to door solicitation please contact the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department non-emergency number at 717-664-1180.
Information on starting a neighborhood watch: https://www.staysafe.org/starting-and-growing-a-neighborhood-watch/
INFORMATION ON OBTAINING A SOLICITATION PERMIT:
Steps to follow:
1. Complete the PA ePATCH report, print or save it on a mobile device.
2. Fill out online SOLICITATION FORM
3. Appear at East Petersburg Borough office to pay the required permit fee. Checks made payable to East Petersburg Borough.
4. Call NLCRPD to schedule an appointment, walk-ins not guaranteed.
5. Bring your ePATCH report, valid photo ID, and payment receipt from East Petersburg Borough to your appointment at NLCRPD. Note: there will be a fee for your i.d. card. Bring check or cash to pay for the solicitor photo badge that will be prepared for you – checks for i.d. made payable to NLCRPD.
Note:
• Applicants must complete the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) report PRIOR to submitting the SOLICITATION FORM and appearing at NLCRPD. Go to www.epatch.state.pa.us to complete the PATCH report.
• Applicants MUST APPEAR in PERSON to East Petersburg Borough to pay their registration fee and at the NLCRPD in order to complete permitting. Applications and/or payments sent by mail will be returned. Please be aware that all applicants license or ID will be reviewed by the on-duty Supervisor prior to permit approval, PA or out-of-state.
INFORMATION FOR EAST PETERSBURG RESIDENTS –
Door to Door Solicitors and Peddlers
East Petersburg Borough frequently receives inquiries regarding persons going door to door and soliciting. Please review the following information about our solicitation guidelines and some suggestions for interacting with solicitors.
Solicitors within East Petersburg Borough must apply for and be approved for a license to solicit in the Borough in accordance with the Borough’s Soliciting Ordinance.
Political canvassing, religious proselytizing, and distributing handbills are activities that do not require a license and are permitted by law.
Per the East Petersburg Borough Ordinance, solicitors must adhere to the following guidelines and rules regulating door-to-door solicitation:
Must cease solicitation upon owner or occupant request
Must obey posted “No Soliciting” and “No Trespassing” signs
Must carry and display their license while they are soliciting
May only solicit between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M.
If a solicitor does not display and cannot produce a license, they may not be licensed to solicit within East Petersburg Borough and may be reported to the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department:
Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Office 717-733-0965
Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Dispatch Emergencies – 911
Non-Emergencies – 717-664-1180
East Petersburg Borough maintains a list of current soliciting license holders on its website, which residents can reference.
Pushy, rude, or aggressive solicitors
Beyond the restrictions listed above, the Borough of East Petersburg does not directly regulate the demeanor of individual solicitors. Remember however, that as a homeowner or occupant you may at any time ask a solicitor to leave your property. Every resident has the right to feel secure in their home, should you feel threatened or unsafe based upon a solicitor’s behavior, contact the Police immediately.
How to Prevent Solicitors At Your Home
Prominently display a “No Soliciting” or “No Trespassing” notice on your property. Signs should be of a size that is easily visible to Solicitors who may approach your front door or main entrance.
It is illegal in East Petersburg Borough to solicit at a location where proper No Soliciting or No Trespassing signage has been posted. With or without a sign, residents should not ever be afraid to exercise boundaries with solicitors by refusing to answer their door or by politely stating ‘no thank you’ or ‘not interested’ and shutting and locking their door.
Constitutional Rights of Solicitors
The First Amendment and the U.S. Constitution protect the rights of door-to-door solicitors and preclude the ability of a community to ban or significantly limit door-to-door sales. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld free speech for commercial purposes, and the Borough’s ability to restrict commercial door-to-door solicitation is limited to local regulations restricting the time, place, and manner of door-to-door solicitations. Homeowners and occupants, however, do have the ultimate right to determine whether solicitors shall or shall not be invited to their residences or property.