If you think all door-to-door solicitors have to have a license, think again.
According to the Bettendorf City Code not all solicitors need a city issued license. The code requires licenses for merchants who offer tangible personal property or personal services, or who take orders of the sale of personal property or services.
Solicitors who go door-to-door for religious, charitable, or political reasons do not need a license because these activities are considered protected speech under the 1st Amendment.
The City of Bettendorf has offered the following tips to keep your home and family safe:
- Never let a solicitor into your home. Any business can be conducted outside, keeping your family free from unnecessary risk.
- Do not give personal or financial information to anyone you do not know.
- If a door-to-door solicitor is attempting to sell a product without a license or is aggressive and makes you uncomfortable, call 9-1-1 and provide police with the description and which way the solicitor went when they left.
