Peddling means moving about the County by foot or vehicle of any kind, from place to place, house to house, door to door, or upon any street or highway, for the purpose of selling and simultaneously delivering or offering for sale and simultaneous delivery, at retail, any goods, wares, merchandise, services or foodstuffs of any kind whatever.

Soliciting means traveling about the County by foot or vehicle of any kind from place to place, house to house, door to door, or upon any street or highway, for the purpose of engaging in any one or more of the following activities:

• Attempting to obtain orders for the sale and future delivery.
• Attempting to obtain subscriptions to books, magazines, or newspapers, and every other kind of printed matter not published in Howard County, the State of Maryland or the District of Columbia.
• Attempting to obtain gifts or contributions of money, clothing or any other valuable things for the support or benefit of any charitable or nonprofit association, organization, corporation or project.

No person shall engage in soliciting or peddling in the county unless that person has obtained an identification (ID) card from the Office of Consumer Protection (OCP).

Howard County peddler / solicitor licensing laws  do not apply to:

• Persons selling produce, milk, butter, eggs or poultry which they grow themselves;
• Persons making sales on private property at the invitation of the owner or occupant;
• Persons engaged in business to business transactions;
• Charitable or nonprofit associations that register annually with the administrator (see below);
• Insurance brokers with valid insurance licenses including trainees;
• Real estate brokers and agents with valid real estate licenses and their trainees;
• Politicians, voter registrars, and individuals working on ballot questions;
• Organizations who have qualified under the “Code of Ethics” exception(see below).

Charitable or Nonprofit Association Exception - Charities and Nonprofits are not required to pay for peddlers or solicitors licenses but are encouraged to register with OCP. Please note, that in order to qualify for the exemption, a charitable or nonprofit association must provide evidence that it has §501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service. 

“Code of Ethics” Exception - This exception applies to persons who sell or take orders for companies that subscribe to or are bound by a policy statement, code or regulation established by the company or by a recognized trade association in which the applicant company is a member in good standing, only if the policy statement, code or regulation:

• Requires that the offer of products or services for sale be truthful and accurate as to price, grade, quantity, make, value, performance, currency of model and availability;
• Requires that the terms of any guarantee offered in connection with the sale be furnished to the buyer in writing and clearly state the nature and extent of the guarantee; 
• Prohibits the initiation or continuation of any deceptive or any unlawful trade practices;
• Has an established procedure for processing consumer complaints within a reasonable time and providing consumer redress, if it is determined that the consumer was aggrieved by a violation of the policy statement, code or regulation or an unlawful trade practice, and
• Is in compliance with all orders directives, stipulations and agreements between the company or trade association and OCP.

Companies that have a Code of Ethics or other policy statement that meets the above criteria, may apply for one or more identification cards. If the application is accepted, OCP will issue a block of numbered ID cards to the company for use by their peddlers or solicitors.    

The organization must maintain a control list of the individuals to whom they give the ID cards. If one of the company’s solicitors discontinues his/her activities, it is the company’s responsibility to collect the card and provide the Office with the information on the new holder of the card. If the company stops doing the business for which the cards were issued, it is the company’s duty to return the block of cards to OCP.

Applicants must submit a printed or typed application. Note that applicants claiming the Code of Ethics exception must complete the Code of Ethics application, and Charitable/ Non-profit applicants must complete the Charitable/Non-profit application.

The submission of an incomplete form  can result in a delay in processing. Failure to provide complete and accurate information on the registration form can also result in the denial, revocation, or suspension of an ID card.

An peddler / solicitor applicant who wishes to sell foodstuffs of any kind must first obtain a separate permit from the Howard County Health Department showing compliance with Health regulations governing food from facilities.

If during the period for which an ID card is issued there is any change in the factual information furnished on the application form, the ID card holder must fully and promptly communicate the new information to the Office of Consumer Protection. The holder of an ID card which is lost, stolen, or mutilated must immediately contact the Office of Consumer Protection to request the issuance of a duplicate ID card.

Registration Period - ID cards are good for the County fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) in which they are obtained.

Application Fees - May be paid by cash, check or money order (payable to the “Director of Finance”) or credit card.  All ID’s are renewable July 1 of each year. ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

• Individual Peddler / Solicitors - $100 per year (running from July 1 to June 30); $50 if application made after January 1).
• Charities and Nonprofits - No fee but registration is encouraged.
• Companies with qualifying Codes of Ethics - $50 per ID Card per year.
• Duplicate cards - $5.00. 

Effective April 11, 2016, Soliciting or peddling may be conducted within the County only between 9:00 a.m. and sunset except:

• the peddling of foodstuffs from a vehicle is permitted between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., and 
• charitable and non-profit solicitors (and other entities excepted from the law) are not subject to any restriction on hours of operation.

The holder of an ID must not represent, or in any way imply, that possession of an ID constitutes an endorsement by the County.

The holder of an ID card shall carry his ID card on his/her person while soliciting or peddling and shall display the ID card to any person who asks to see it. The card holder must leave the premises immediately upon request.

Along with the ID card, peddlers who use vehicles shall be issued a metal tag. This metal tag must be attached to the right side rear of the vehicle used in peddling and must be visible at all times.

Solicitors and peddlers must abide by Howard County law regarding non-transit activities that take place along Howard County roads. See below.

Under Maryland Law, door-to-door salespeople (those who make sales at a consumer’s home or from a location that is not the seller’s primary place of business), who sell goods costing $25 or more, must provide consumers with a 3-day right to cancel the sale, inform consumers of their cancellation rights, and explain their cancellation rights in writing as part of their sales contract. Maryland Door-to-Door Sales Act.

Howard County Code, Section 18.207 prohibits the sale or solicitation of goods, services or donations from the paved “right of way” of any Howard County roadway (including the median area) unless the sales or solicitations are made:

• By properly licensed solicitors or peddlers;
• On roads that have a posted speed limit of 45 mph or less;
• At a location on the shoulder of the road that is at least 8 ft. from the edge line of the travel lane, and at least 100 feet from the nearest intersection or other point of ingress or egress; and
• Between 9 a.m. and sunset.

Persons may conduct “non-transit” activities such as soliciting or peddling in the median area of a county road for up to four days a year only after obtaining a Special Permit from the Office of Consumer Protection. Solicitors and peddlers operating under a special permit may conduct business only between the hours of 9:00 am to sunset. To obtain a permit, an individual must:

• Submit an application 21 days before an activity;
• State the specific location of the sale or solicitation;
• Obtain approval of the location from the Howard County Police;
• Provide a signed indemnification of liability to the County;
• State the dates on which the activity will take place;
• Pay a $100 fee.