Did you know solicitors within Cottonwood Heights are required to have a license?
Jun 24, 2019 10:27AM ● By Cassie Goff
“No soliciting” signs must be visible near the building’s or home’s main entrance. (Elvert Barnes/Flickr)
By Cassie Goff | [email protected]
Knock-knock. It’s mid-afternoon on a summer day: that sound can only mean one thing. A solicitor. Before opening the door to listen to their sales pitch, remember to do two things. 1. Check to see who is outside before opening the door. Do not open doors for strangers. 2. Ask to see their solicitors badge and/or license.
Within the boundaries of Cottonwood Heights, and many neighboring cities, solicitors are required to obtain a license from the city. When soliciting between the approved hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., individuals must have their badge and/or license on their person. Residents may ask to see that badge.
A Cottonwood Heights approved solicitors badge has the individual’s rectangular picture in the middle, with hot pink borders, and the city logo on top (which has blue triangles resembling mountains). Even though the badge should be sufficient evidence of city approval, residents can ask to see the license as well. Those are a little bulkier and may be folded up somewhere on their person.
As of publication, the only approved businesses that have solicitors in neighborhoods are Moxie Pest Control, Aptive Environmental, Smart Home Pros from Vivint and Edward Jones.
Solicitor licenses are not required for Utah State employees, delivery persons, individuals distributing religious information, political campaigns or charitable organizations.
If residents find an individual soliciting without a license, or outside of the approved soliciting hours, it is recommended to report it through the Cottonwood Heights Police Department Dispatch (by calling 801-840-4000 or visiting the office in city hall at 2277 E. Bengal Blvd.) with a good description of the solicitor’s route of travel. The responding patrolperson can then retrieve personal and company information.
If individuals are found to be in violation of the solicitating rules outlined above (further detailed in Chapter 5.86 Residential Solicitation, of the Cottonwood Heights Code of Ordinances in Title 5: Business Licenses and Regulations), they may be charged with a class B misdemeanor, with a fee up to $1,000 and/or six months in jail.
Additionally, to avoid solicitation house visits, residents can have a “no soliciting” sign on their property. The sign must “be posted on or near the main entrance door or near the property line adjacent to the sidewalk leading to the residence,” as per the city code.
“If the sign is visible, solicitors should not go there,” said Business Development Specialist Sherrie Martell.
Lastly, any resident can request that a solicitor leave the property. When a request has been made, solicitors are required to leave immediately and “peacefully depart,” as per Chapter 5.86 of the city code.
Individuals wishing to obtain a solicitors license must complete six steps of the residential solicitation license process. A solicitor application must be filled out, signed and dated. Then, a background check must be completed and submitted to the city. In addition, the business entity’s current business license or equivalent with their sales tax number must be submitted. Lastly, picture identification and a $25 fee must be submitted to the city. When approved, the license is good for one year.
When going through this process, the city’s business licensing department will process the application. As the application is processing, individuals must visit the Cottonwood Heights Police Department to have their picture taken and their badge created. Usually the licensing process can occur same-day.
