Cross Reference — Street vending of prepared food and drink, §625.010 et seq.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025[1]]
As used in this Chapter the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CANVASSER
A person traveling by foot, automobile, motor truck, or any type of conveyance from house to house, place to place, street to street, or positioned on or near street corners, public ways, or places of public assembly or congregation who attempts to make personal contact with another person or enter onto private property without prior specific invitation or appointment from such person for the primary purpose of:
1. 
Attempting to enlist support for or against a particular purpose, including, but not limited to the following: education, philanthropy, charity, religion, philosophy, ideology, or political party, issue, or candidate;
2. 
Distributing a handbill or flyer advertising a non-commercial event or service; or
3. 
Attempting to obtain a donation to a particular purpose, including, but not limited to the following: education, philanthropy, charity, religion, philosophy, ideology, or political party, issue, or candidate.
PEDDLER
A person traveling by foot, automobile, motor truck, or any type of conveyance from house to house, place to place, or street to street, who attempts to make personal contact with another person or enter onto private property without prior specific invitation or appointment from such person for the primary purpose of attempting to sell goods, wares, merchandise, or services with minimal or no delay.
PERSON
Shall extend and be applied to associations, corporations, firms, partnerships, and bodies politic and corporate as well as to individuals and agents of same.
SOLICITING
Any actions taken by a solicitor or a peddler.
SOLICITOR
A person traveling by foot, automobile, motor truck, or any type of conveyance from house to house, place to place, or street to street, who attempts to make personal contact with another person or enter onto private property without prior specific invitation or appointment from such person for the primary purpose of:
1. 
Distributing a handbill or flyer advertising a commercial event, goods, wares, and/or service; or
2. 
Taking or attempting to take orders for the sale of goods, wares, merchandise, and/or services.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Chapter 610, Peddlers and Solicitors, containing Sections 610.010 through 610.140, was repealed by Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025. Prior history includes: CC 1976 §§ 19-1 — 19-2, 19-9, 12-52b, 19-10 — 19-20; Ord. No. 1693; and Ord. No. 91-72.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
This Chapter shall not apply to a Federal, State, or local government employee or a public utility employee in the performance of his/her duty for his/her employer.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
A. 
No peddler, solicitor or canvasser shall:
1. 
Enter upon any private property where the property has clearly posted in the front yard a sign visible from the right-of-way (public or private) indicating a prohibition against peddling, soliciting and/or canvassing as the case may be. Such sign need not exceed one (1) square foot in size and may contain the words "no soliciting" or "no solicitors," "no peddling" or "no peddlers," or "no canvassing" or "no canvassers," or any combination thereof, in letters of at least two (2) inches in height.
2. 
Remain upon any private property where a notice in the form of a sign or sticker is placed upon any door or entrance way leading into the residence or dwelling at which guests would normally enter, which sign contains the words similar to that specified in Subsection (A)(1) above, and which is clearly visible to the peddler, solicitor or canvasser.
3. 
Remove any yard, door, or entrance sign that gives notice to such person indicating a prohibition against peddling, soliciting and/or canvassing as the case may be.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
A. 
Permit Required. Unless a permit is obtained by the company and each participating individual solicitor or peddler, it shall be unlawful for any solicitor or peddler to go in and upon any private residence in the City not having been requested or invited to do so by the owner or occupant of such residence. No permit issued under this Chapter is transferable.
1. 
Canvasser is not required to obtain a permit.
B. 
Application For License; Filing Fee.
1. 
The application for and issuance of a permit shall be done in accordance with and subject to the following City permitting requirements.
2. 
The application for the permit shall be submitted on City forms and must contain at minimum the following information:
a. 
Business name, telephone number, physical address, and email address;
b. 
A brief description of the proposed soliciting related to this permit. (Copies of literature to be distributed may be substituted for this description at the option of the applicant.);
c. 
Name of applicant, cellular phone number, date of application, email address, and physical address;
d. 
A list of all infraction, offense, misdemeanor and felony convictions of each person whom proposes to engage in soliciting in the City for the seven (7) years immediately prior to the application, the application shall also be accompanied by a "criminal history records" name search report from the Missouri Highway Patrol issued not more than six (6) months prior to the date of application, and, if the applicant has not been a Missouri resident throughout the preceding seven (7) years, documentation showing that the Missouri Highway Patrol report encompassed criminal history record data for each State in which the applicant was a resident during that period, or by a substantially similar report from each State in which the applicant was a resident within the preceding seven (7) years.
e. 
Proposed dates(s) of the proposed soliciting in the City;
f. 
Hours of operation;
g. 
Location and schedule of proposed soliciting;
h. 
Number of proposed individuals who will be soliciting per day;
i. 
Name of local coordinator or manager, cellular phone number, the permanent and (if any) local address, and number of total individuals proposed to be performing permitted soliciting in the City throughout the proposed date(s) of the permitted soliciting;
j. 
The motor vehicle make, model, year, color, and State license plate number of any vehicle which will be used by each individual for whom a permit is requested;
k. 
The name, physical description, and photo identification;
l. 
A copy of the person's sales tax license as issued by the State of Missouri, provided that no copy of a license shall be required of any business which appears on the City's annual report of sales tax payees as provided by the Missouri Department of Revenue;
m. 
The location where books and records are kept of sales which occur within the City, and which are available for City inspection to determine that all City sales taxes have been paid;
n. 
The web address for the person (or other address) where residents having subsequent questions can go for more information;
o. 
A signed acknowledgement that the person has read this Chapter and will comply with all applicable requirements; and
p. 
A copy of the registration number issued by the State of Missouri for charitable solicitations, if applicable.
3. 
Following the submission of a complete application to the City and payment of a twenty dollar ($20.00) application fee, eighteen dollars fifty cents ($18.50) per person background check performed, and five dollar ($5.00) per person charge for each permit card, the City shall investigate as to the truth and accuracy of the information contained in the application. Upon completion of such investigation and if the application meets all requirements of this Chapter, the City Clerk shall issue the permit within a reasonable time, not to exceed seven (7) business days, and in accordance with applicable law. If City has not completed this investigation within a reasonable time, not to exceed seven (7) business days, and in accordance with applicable law, the permit will nonetheless be issued, subject, however, to administrative revocation upon completion of the investigation.
4. 
Upon satisfactory completion of the application, the City Clerk shall not issue the permit if:
a. 
The applicant or any solicitor or peddler whom the applicant proposes to solicit a residence without invitation is registered on the National Sex Offender Registry;
b. 
The applicant or any solicitor or peddler whom the applicant proposes to solicit a residence without invitation has been convicted of an offense pursuant to Chapter 565, RSMo., within the past ten (10) years;
c. 
The applicant or any solicitor or peddler whom the applicant proposes to solicit a residence without invitation has been convicted of an offense pursuant to Chapter 569 or Chapter 570, RSMo., within the past ten (10) years;
d. 
The applicant or any solicitor or peddler whom the applicant proposes to solicit a residence without invitation has been convicted of an offense involving fraud or dishonesty within the past ten (10) years;
e. 
The applicant or any solicitor or peddler whom the applicant proposes to solicit a residence without invitation has been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude within the past twelve (12) years;
f. 
Any statement upon the application is false, unless the applicant can demonstrate that the falsehood was the result of excusable neglect; or
g. 
In accordance with Section 610.050, the applicant shall be notified that the permit will not be issued and the reason for the same.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
A. 
No individual may be granted more than one (1) permit within a four-month period with each permit being valid for a period of no longer than two (2) days.
B. 
No individual soliciting on behalf of a person may receive a permit for purposes of soliciting if other individuals have been issued permits within the previous four (4) months for soliciting on behalf of the same person.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
No solicitor, canvasser, or peddler shall operate in or on any right-of-way, sidewalk, or street corner, whether public or private, in such a manner as to endanger himself/herself or others or so as to impede traffic. The judgment of a Police Officer, exercising good faith, shall be conclusive as to whether public safety is jeopardized or traffic impeded.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
A. 
The individual soliciting shall wear the issued permit on their outer clothing so as to be reasonably visible to any person who might be approached by said individual during the permitted soliciting.
B. 
The individual soliciting shall display on his or her person any permit or other object provided by the City to clearly and readily identify the individual to other citizens and law enforcement as a permittee.
C. 
No solicitor or peddler shall enter upon the property of another except between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. unless such person has an express invitation to enter from the owner, resident, or occupant of the property.
D. 
No person shall remove any yard, door, or entrance sign that gives notice to such person indicating a prohibition against peddling, soliciting and/or canvassing as the case may be.
E. 
A solicitor or canvasser leaving handbills or commercial flyers about the community shall observe the following regulations:
1. 
No handbill or flyer shall be left at or attached to any sign, utility pole, transit shelter, or other structure within the public right-of-way. The Police and City staff are authorized to remove any handbill or flyer found within the right-of-way.
2. 
No handbill or flyer shall be left at or attached to any privately-owned property in a manner that causes damage to such privately owned property.
3. 
No handbill or flyer shall be left at or attached to any property having a "no solicitation" sign/sticker.
F. 
Persons performing the activities regulated by this Chapter shall follow all applicable City, State, or Federal laws and regulations.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
No person who obtained a permit or an agent, member, or representative of the same, shall advertise, represent, or hold out in any manner that the permit is an endorsement of the holder by the City or by any member of the City administration or City Council thereof or by any organization which any of the same may represent.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
If the City Clerk denies (or upon completion of an investigation revokes) the permit, he/she shall immediately convey the decision to the applicant orally and shall, within a reasonable time and in accordance with applicable law, prepare a written report of the reason(s) for the denial which shall be immediately made available to the applicant. Upon receipt of the oral notification, and even before the preparation of the written report, the applicant shall have at his/her option an appeal of the denial or revocation of his/her application as provided for in Section 610.100.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
A. 
Any permit issued under this Chapter may be suspended or revoked, or otherwise subject to adverse permit action, at the discretion of the City Council, for violation of any of the following:
1. 
Subsequent knowledge by the City of fraud, misrepresentation, or incorrect statements provided by an applicant on the application form.
2. 
Fraud, misrepresentation, or false statements made during the course of the permitted soliciting.
3. 
Any violation of this Chapter by the applicant or any solicitor or peddler during the course of the permitted soliciting.
4. 
Conducting the permitted soliciting in such a manner as to constitute a breach of the peace or a menace to the health, safety, or general welfare of the public.
5. 
Subsequent conviction of any offense to which the granting of the permit could have been denied under this Chapter.
6. 
Violation of any law relating to public safety, health and welfare, zoning, or any Missouri or Federal law.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
A. 
Any person aggrieved by the decision of the City Clerk as aforesaid may appeal to the City Administrator. An appeal to the City Administrator shall set forth, in writing, all reasons known to the applicant as to wherein and why the City Clerk's decision is in error. Such appeal must be submitted by the aggrieved party within ten (10) days of the date of the decision for which review is sought.
B. 
The filing of an appeal to the City Administrator shall stay the outcome of the City Clerk's decision until the City Administrator renders a decision on the appeal. However, nothing herein shall be interpreted to create a valid permit or permission in the interim where one does not exist prior to a decision by the City Administrator is issued.
C. 
The City Administrator shall set an initial hearing to consider the appeal or revocation.
D. 
At least ten (10) days prior to said hearing, written notice shall be mailed to the applicant, by registered mail, return receipt requested, to his/her last known address as shown in the records of the City Clerk advising the applicant of the time, date and place of the initial hearing. If the hearing is to consider revocation of an existing permit, the City's notice shall also notify the person of the reason for considering the revocation of his/her license.
E. 
The hearing shall be informal and strict rules of evidence shall not apply. The owner may be represented by counsel, present oral and written evidence, and cross-examine witnesses.
F. 
At the hearing the City Administrator, acting as Hearing Officer, shall hear testimony and make written findings of fact from the evidence offered at said hearing and give notice thereof to all parties within ten (10) days of the date of the hearing.
G. 
Any applicant aggrieved by the decision of the City Administrator as aforesaid may further appeal to the City Council. An appeal to the City Council shall set forth, in writing, all reasons known to the applicant as to wherein and why the City Administrator's decision is in error. Such appeal must be submitted by the aggrieved party within ten (10) days of the date of the decision for which review is sought.
H. 
The City Council at its next meeting, or as soon thereafter as practicable in the sole discretion of the City Council, shall conduct a hearing, wherein the Council shall hear testimony and make written findings of fact from the evidence offered at said hearing and give notice thereof to all parties within ten (10) days of the date of the hearing.
I. 
The hearing shall be informal and strict rules of evidence shall not apply. The owner may be represented by counsel, present oral and written evidence and cross-examine witnesses.
J. 
A majority vote of five (5) members of the City Council shall be necessary to reverse any order, requirement, decision, or determination of the City Administrator.
K. 
Any person aggrieved by the decision of the City Council may seek judicial review by the Circuit Court having jurisdiction in St. Louis County. Such review shall be governed by the applicable provisions of Sections 536.100 to 536.140, RSMo., on contested cases.
[Ord. No. 2025-43, 10-27-2025]
In addition to any other remedy of the City hereunder, any person violating any part of this Chapter, including trespass, shall have committed a municipal violation and shall be prosecuted in Municipal Court. The penalty for such violation shall be the same as for general penalty under Section 100.150 of this Code.