Town of Bethany, CT Peddling and Soliciting

Any person or corporation, whether principal or agent, who goes from town to town or from place to place in the same town selling or bartering, or carrying for sale or barter, or exposing therefor any goods, wares or merchandise or services, either on foot or from any animal or vehicle.

NONRESIDENT

Includes any individual or corporation who does not own or whose spouse does not own, in the case of the individual, a home, house, mobile home, building or any business premises and occupy the same within the Town of Bethany.

RESIDENT

Includes any individual or corporation, the spouse, child or member of the household of any individual or the agent, servant and/or employee of any individual or corporation, who owns and occupies any home, house, mobile home, building or business premises within the Town of Bethany.

Any word not specifically defined herein shall be given its ordinary and customary meaning. "Person" means and includes any corporation or partnership; "shall" means and includes "will" and is mandatory.

§ 157-2 Registration required.

No person shall engage in the vending, hawking or peddling of any goods, wares or merchandise or services of any sort or description or conduct canvassing or polling in or upon any public highway or from house to house within the limits of the Town of Bethany without first having registered at the Town Hall for such purpose. Political candidates and parties and/or their representatives are exempt.

[Amended 11-3-2009 STM]

Each such registrant shall be required to show proof of the residence or residences of the registrant during the three years immediately preceding the registration, together with information concerning the following matters:

(1)

The street or streets within the town upon which the registrant intends to engage in selling.

(2)

The date or dates during which the registrant will be engaged as described above.

(3)

The item, or items, or services to be sold, their place of manufacture or preparation for sale and the principal or principals for whom the registrant is acting.

(4)

Authorization from the principal or principals granting authority to the registrant to hawk, peddle or vend his wares.

(5)

The dates and locations of any felony convictions of the registrant or principal, or both.

§ 157-3 Bond requirement for nonresident.

Any nonresident seeking a registration as required in § 157-2 hereof shall be required to post a cash, surety or property bond in the amount of $100 to insure his faithful performance and obedience to the laws of the State of Connecticut and ordinances of the Town of Bethany. A receipt will be issued for such bond, and the bond will be held at the Bethany Town Hall, at 40 Peck Road, Bethany, Connecticut. Upon presentation of this bond receipt, after the satisfactory completion of the registrant's hawking, peddling and/or vending as set forth in his registration, the bond shall be returned, provided that such return shall not be made sooner than 30 days after the expiration of the last selling date set forth by the registrant under § 157-2B(2).

The bond shall be held for a period of 30 days after the last date set forth in § 157-2B(2) for activities pursuant to this registration. Should the nonresident fail to claim said bond within a sixty-day period after the expiration of his registration, the same shall be deemed forfeited to the Town of Bethany.

§ 157-4 Hours.

No hawking, vending and/or peddling shall be permitted on Sundays, holidays or at any time, except between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

§ 157-5 Record of registrations.

It shall be the duty of the Town Clerk, acting as the agent of the Selectmen, to keep a record of all registrations granted under the provisions of this chapter in a book provided solely for this purpose, giving:

The number and date of each such registration.

The name, age, sex, residence, the motor vehicle operator's license and the motor vehicle registration number of the person registered.

The fee paid.

The final date on which the nonresident bond may be claimed.

§ 157-6 Fee; exemption.

[Amended 11-3-2009 STM]

A fee of $10 per month shall be charged for each registration. Resident veterans shall be allowed to register without fee upon proof of military service.

§ 157-7 Display of registration.

Each registrant shall openly display his registration and shall upon request produce the same for inspection.

§ 157-8 Termination of registration.

Registrations obtained pursuant to this chapter shall terminate as of the last date for sale set forth in the registration in accordance with § 157-2B(2) hereof. Such registrants who will engage in hawking, vending and/or peddling within the Town of Bethany on a regular annual basis shall obtain a registration which will terminate as of December 31 of the calendar year within which such registration was obtained.

§ 157-9 Exceptions.

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to:

Sales by farmers and gardeners of the produce of their farms or gardens.

The sale, distribution and delivery of milk, teas, coffees, spices, groceries, meats, bakery goods, fuel oil, gas, liquor or newspapers or to any item or items where there is a contractual agreement between the buyer and seller as to the same.

Any sale of goods, wares or merchandise or services on any grounds owned by, rented by, possessed, controlled and/or occupied by charitable, ecclesiastical, governmental, civic or political groups, organizations, or societies or to any general sale, fair, auction bazaar or door-to-door canvas held or sponsored by any such aforementioned entity.

[Amended 12-7-1992 STM]

§ 157-10 Penalties for offenses.

[Amended 11-3-2009 STM]

Any person who engages in the business of vending or peddling or canvassing or polling door to door without complying with provisions of this chapter shall upon violation be fined $500.